Woman accused of fraud ordered to mental health evaluation

A district court in western Uusimaa has issued an interim ruling ordering a mental health assessment for a woman accused of dozens of fraud offences, Yle reports.

The court will resume proceedings only after the evaluation is complete.

Prosecutors allege the woman defrauded victims of hundreds of thousands of euros in 2025, in part by falsely claiming she had cancer. The woman has requested the mental health assessment in her written response to the court.

Police previously stated the total financial damage in the case is approximately €800,000, with around 50 criminal reports filed. The interim ruling involves over 50 claimants, mostly private individuals but also some businesses.

The offences primarily occurred between April and November 2025. According to police, most victims were from the suspect’s circle of acquaintances.

The accused has largely admitted to receiving funds from the claimants and causing them financial harm, as well as acknowledging her actions led them to be deceived. She claimed she requested money as loans for cancer treatment until insurance would cover the costs.

The court noted it is undisputed that the accused did not have cancer at the time and had not applied for any insurance compensation.