Finland’s supreme court rejects appeal in Sunny Car Center fraud case

Finland’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by businessman Markku Ritaluoma, upholding a lower court’s conviction for serious financial crimes, public broadcaster Yle reports.

The decision means Ritaluoma’s five-year, three-month prison sentence—handed down by the Turku Court of Appeal in 2025 for aggravated debtor dishonesty, two counts of aggravated fraud, and two counts of aggravated tax fraud—now stands. The case was initially heard in 2023 by the Kanta-Häme District Court.

Ritaluoma’s lawyer, Mikko Ruutus, told Yle he had not yet spoken with his client and could not comment on the Supreme Court’s ruling. Ritaluoma has resided in the United States since at least August 2025, when the appeals process was underway.

The case stems from the collapsed Sunny Car Center project in Hämeenlinna, once billed as Europe’s largest car dealership. Planned to employ up to 1,500 people, the venture never progressed beyond a single billboard on a field beside a motorway. The site was later dismantled in 2016, leaving unpaid debts and a protracted legal battle.

Ritaluoma had secured backing from local entities, including the city of Hämeenlinna, a hockey team, and numerous businesses and individuals. The Supreme Court’s decision on Thursday brings the years-long dispute to a close.