This mainly concerns sickness benefit, sickness compensation and activity support. SEK 3.6 billion has been paid out in recent years to approximately 4,000 individuals who, according to the police definition, are active gang criminals or have connections to gang crime, the report shows.
Among the criminal schemes are, for example, false medical certificates and sham separations, where a couple separates on paper but remains together.
Our common welfare money should go to those with the greatest need. Instead, it ends up in the pockets of criminals and fuels gang crime. It is clear that this is deeply provocative. At the same time, it confirms the image we have had for a long time, says Anna Tenje.
Easier sharing of information
If we are going to break the gangs, we must strangle this supply of our common tax funds.
According to the minister, an important tool is the secrecy-breaking legislation that will come into effect in December and will make it easier for authorities to share information with each other. She also points to work to combat false medical certificates.
But it's also about us working on a sanction system and a grant freeze for people who repeatedly commit grant violations, says Tenje.
“Maintaining legitimacy”
Each year, it is estimated that between 15 and 20 billion kronor is paid out incorrectly from the welfare systems, of which approximately half is estimated to be benefit violations, according to the government.
"It's about maintaining the legitimacy of the systems. Hard-working people need to be able to trust that the money is going to the right people," says Tenje.
The police's latest situation report shows that there are 67,500 people in the Swedish gang environment. Of these, 17,500 are considered to be active gang criminals, while the rest have some form of connection to gangs.
