Five arrested in Norwegian investigation into NATO fraud
Økokrim suspects five people of overbilling for services to NATO ships in Norwegian ports.
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Norwegian investigative service Økokrim arrested five people on Wednesday in an investigation into possible fraud against a NATO procurement organisation. The suspects are alleged to have overbilled by more than €1 million for services to NATO ships.
The arrests took place in the Bergen region. Økokrim suspects the five of serious fraud against the NATO Support and Procurement Agency or of complicity in it. The organisation procures goods and services for NATO and its member countries, among others.
According to the Norwegian investigative service, more than €1 million may have been overbilled for services to NATO ships between 2021 and 2025. The converted amount is reported to be slightly above 10.5 million Norwegian kroner. The precise invoices and the services involved have not been made public.
The services are said to have been provided to NATO ships calling at Norwegian ports. The case therefore touches on part of the logistics chain surrounding military vessels, but according to reports there is no indication that the ships themselves or operational NATO information have been compromised.
In addition to the arrests, several locations in the Bergen area were searched. Police units in Germany and Romania also carried out searches at companies involved in the investigation, according to reports. The international cooperation indicates that the case may involve several companies or contracts.
Økokrim has not disclosed which companies or people are involved. Nor is it clear whether all those arrested work for the same company or what roles they held. The service emphasises that the investigation covers several years and many port calls and will therefore take time.
The case is relevant to NATO because military procurement depends on verifiable invoices and reliable suppliers. For Dutch companies, the arrests in themselves do not mean that they are involved; no Dutch company is named in the public information. The five are suspects and have not been convicted.
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The reporting is based on a statement from Økokrim as relayed by Norwegian media. Non-public details about companies and roles have not been filled in, and the suspicions have been carefully attributed.
- confirmed Five people were arrested in the Bergen region on 14 October. — Reported by Forsvarets Forum on the basis of Økokrim. source
- confirmed The suspicions concern fraud against the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. — This is stated in the Økokrim statement as reported. source
- confirmed More than €1 million may have been overbilled for services to NATO ships in Norwegian ports. — The amount and the 2021–2025 period were reported by Norwegian media. source
- confirmed Searches were also carried out in Germany and Romania. — Forsvarets Forum mentions police operations in both countries. source
Editor's note
The five arrests, the suspicions concerning the NATO procurement organisation, the amount above €1 million and the searches in Norway, Germany and Romania have been confirmed. Names, companies involved and individual roles have not been made public.Sources
- Økokrim: Fem personer pågrepet for svindel mot Nato — Forsvarets Forum
- Fem nordmenn pågrepet – etterforsker bedrageri mot Nato — iBergen/TV 2
- NATO Support and Procurement Organisation — NATO
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