Former NHO top charged with moonlighting in the Parliament
As an elected representative, he went out hard against unserious actors in the painting industry. Now he is himself charged with moonlighting in the Parliament.
Former chairman of board of the National Association of Painters and Building Workers (MLF), painter Lars Barg, has been charged by Økokrim for organizing illegal work in the Storting in the period from June 27, 2006 to October,27, 2008. The work was done by Barg’s former company Lars Barg AS.
During the period when the illegal work took place, Barg was the head of the Oslo Painters Association. From 2012 to 2016 he was elected chairman of the MLF, an association under the NHO umbrella, writes Dagbladet.
The accusation is gross embezzlement totaling NOK 3.3 million. According to the indictment, Barg has used a total of six subcontractors for fictitious billing. Barg is also charged for unjustifiably deduction of inbound value added tax totaling NOK 660,000. Police Attorney in Økokrim (The Economic Crimes Unit), Maria Bache Dahl, says that they view the matter seriously.
– The fact that it is a prominent trustee in the paint industry, which had been publicly against illegal work, contributed to our interest in the matter, Bache Dahl tells Dagbladet.
Rejects fictitious billing
– Production of fictitious invoices is completely unknown to me, says Lars Barg to Dagbladet.
He emphasizes that he has not done anything wrong.
– But the question is whether I as the owner and chairman of Lars Barg AS can be held responsible for that subcontractors I used embezzeled tax and VAT, says Barg to Dagbladet.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
