Former Parikkala municipal director suspected of misusing council credit card

The former municipal director of Parikkala, Mervi Pääkkö, is suspected of misusing the council’s credit card after failing to provide receipts or adequate explanations for numerous purchases, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle. Pääkkö was recently appointed municipal director of Polvijärvi.

An audit of the 2025 credit card statements revealed multiple transactions lacking proper documentation. Maija Valkeapää (PRY, Parikkala Group), chair of the municipal audit committee, described the scale of unreported purchases as “exceptional” but did not disclose the amounts involved. The committee has consulted the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities (Kuntaliitto) on the matter.

Pääkkö, who led Parikkala until March 2026 before moving to Polvijärvi, told Yle she was unaware of the allegations and had not been contacted by Parikkala officials. “I find this way of handling things puzzling. It seems deliberate,” she said.

The audit committee will decide on April 14 whether to instruct the municipal board to take action. Board chair Jouni Kiviaho (PRY) confirmed he has been summoned for questioning and expects the board to request a formal explanation from Pääkkö. “This isn’t about the money—it’s about principle. You can’t just sweep things under the rug,” Kiviaho stated.