Police identify suspect in extensive fraud case involving deceased woman in Reykjavik

The Reykjavik Metropolitan Police have reportedly identified a Russian-speaking individual suspected of committing extensive fraud involving the misuse of a deceased woman’s identity and finances. The man is believed to have been living in the woman’s apartment and using her benefits for nearly a decade. The investigation into his activities is nearing its conclusion, with plans to submit the case to the prosecution in the coming days.

The inquiry was initiated after police responded to a domestic violence call at a residence in Reykjavik, leading them to uncover the man’s deceptive practices, which appear to extend deep into the country’s healthcare and welfare systems and beyond its borders. The total financial impact of his actions is estimated to reach tens of millions of Icelandic kroner, with one well-known psychiatrist losing their medical license due to the events.

Assistant Chief of Police Ásmundur Rúnar Gylfason stated that significant investigative efforts have been made to determine the man’s true identity, and they are now confident about who he is. He holds Ukrainian citizenship but is currently free as no charges have been filed, although all his travel documents are with the authorities.

Sigrún Árnadóttir, the director of the Housing Association, expressed her shock upon learning from the police that the man had lived in the apartment of his former cohabitant for nine years after her death. The woman, who passed away in Ukraine in 2014, had not been reported dead to Icelandic authorities, allowing the man to continue receiving her disability benefits without raising suspicion.