Stea calls KRIS-Oulu case a regrettable isolated incident after €455,000 clawback

Sosiaali- ja terveysjärjestöjen avustuskeskus Stea has described the misuse of public funds by the now-defunct KRIS-Oulu ry as a regrettable isolated incident.

The organisation, which supported people with criminal records, faces a €455,000 clawback after an internal audit found irregularities. Oulu police have also received a criminal complaint regarding the association.

Stea’s head of supervision, Maija Herold, said that while clawbacks are uncommon, most cases involve unintentional misuse due to lack of competence rather than deliberate fraud.

Last year, Stea recovered funds from nine organisations after identifying misuse of grants totalling €304 million distributed to over 720 recipients. The centre conducts on-site inspections when risks are detected, with larger grant recipients audited more frequently.

Stea operates under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and distributes former Veikkaus gaming proceeds. Its oversight includes reviewing annual financial statements and grant usage reports from recipient organisations.