Poliisi investigates suspected aggravated fraud by two city employees

Helsingin poliisi is investigating two employees of the City of Helsinki for suspected aggravated fraud linked to inflated renovation invoices, police said on Wednesday.

The suspects, both city-employed property managers, are alleged to have colluded with a contractor to overcharge for apartment renovations between 2023 and 2025. The suspected illicit gains exceed €600,000 for the two managers alone, police said.

The investigation, opened in late 2025, is nearing the prosecution assessment phase, police added. The case is part of a broader rise in economic crimes in the capital region, with police seizing €1.8 million in suspected proceeds so far this year and €3.5 million in 2025.

Police attribute the increase to Finland’s economic downturn, noting a near doubling in debtor-related offences amid a surge in bankruptcies.