Drug debt, BankID-chips, and loans are part of a major fraud case in Hedmark

Ten people are due to appear before the court in Hamar, accused of conducting and attempting to commit frauds worth more than NOK 60 million.

The frauds have been committed against banks and financial institutions.

The charges include completed frauds of around NOK 22 million and attempted frauds of approximately NOK 40 million.

The case will start on the 8th of September this year at the Hedmark District Court. Eight weeks have been reserved for the main negotiation.

Given the scope of the case, the Hedmark District Court has rented premises in the State House.

Detained in hotel rooms

The Inland Police District began investigating the case in November 2018 when police arrested one of the defendants in a hotel room in Hamar.

He was in possession of bank identification pieces and loan documents belonging to other people. Based on this seizure, the police carried out a series of further investigative steps, the officers said in a press release on Wednesday.

Searches, arrests and detentions have been made in several of the cases.

Criminal network

Prosecutors believe the research has revealed an organized crime network.

According to the indictment, the offenders have obtained BankID chips and passwords from several people, even in exchange for erasing the person’s drug debts.

In several of the cases, BankID chips are used to modify tax information on Altinn, which in turn has been used as a basis for loan applications.

The prosecution believes that seven of the defendants are so aware of the loans that have been made in their name and therefore have been charged for complicity in the fraud or attempted fraud.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today