Helsinki Court dismisses fraud charges against Kari Jääskeläinen in controversy involving Katri Kulmuni

The Helsinki Court of Appeal has dismissed fraud and misconduct charges against Kari Jääskeläinen, who served as a special advisor to former minister and Centre Party leader Katri Kulmuni. Jääskeläinen arranged communication training and services for Kulmuni while she held the positions of Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Finance. The court found that the training from the communication company Tekir was acquired to support Kulmuni in her ministerial duties.

The Court of Appeal overturned a conditional prison sentence imposed on Jääskeläinen by the Helsinki District Court. In February 2023, the District Court sentenced Jääskeläinen to three months in prison, suspended, for fraud and breach of official duties, asserting that some of the training was unrelated to the minister’s responsibilities.

The controversy surrounding the expenses led to Kulmuni’s resignation from her role as Minister of Finance in June 2020. The news is still developing.