"Receipts" case: seven municipal politicians charged with fraud
The Special Investigation Service and prosecutor's office have charged seven municipal council members with falsifying fuel expenses. One case has already been referred to court.
Seven municipal politicians charged with abuse of office and document falsification
As reported by 15min, the Special Investigation Service (STT) together with the prosecutor's office has completed pre-trial investigations into abuse of office by several municipal council members: charges have been brought against seven individuals, and one case has already been referred to court.
The accused are Marijampolė municipal council members Jonas Bieliauskas and former member Ramūnas Burokas, Prienai district council member Aleksas Banišauskas, Skuodas district council member Rimantas Urniežis, Pagėgiai municipal council member Ramutė Valančienė, Tauragė district council member Rima Badzinaitė-Latožienė and Kėdainiai district council member Jolanta Armonavičienė.
What the politicians are accused of
All seven individuals, whilst serving as council members between 2019 and 2023, allegedly falsified activity expense reports containing data about fuel expenses that did not correspond to reality.
Jonas Bieliauskas is charged with causing 2,916 euros in damage to Marijampolė municipal administration. He has been charged with fraud, abuse of office, falsification of documents or abuse of authority.
Ramūnas Burokas, a Marijampolė council member during the same period, allegedly caused 5,575 euros in damage to the same municipal administration. He has been charged with identical offences.
Aleksas Banišauskas from Prienai district is charged with causing 1,126 euros in damage. Rimantas Urniežis from Skuodas district, who is also charged with unlawful appropriation of another's property through fraud, allegedly caused 1,175 euros in damage. Both have been charged with fraud, abuse of office and document falsification.
Ramutė Valančienė from Pagėgiai is charged with causing 3,692 euros in damage – she has additionally been charged with attempted fraud and misappropriation of property. Rima Badzinaitė-Latožienė from Tauragė district is charged with 4,040 euros in damage and offences of misappropriation of property and document falsification. Jolanta Armonavičienė from Kėdainiai district is charged with causing 2,087 euros in damage and offences of fraud, abuse of office and document falsification.
Petkevičius case – already in court
The case of Karolis Petkevičius, a former Kėdainiai district municipal council member, has been referred for hearing to the Kaunas District Court at the Kaunas courthouse.
The prosecutor from Kaunas regional prosecutor's office drew up an indictment in which K. Petkevičius is charged with fraud, abuse of office and falsification of documents and abuse of authority.
According to the criminal case data, between 2019 and 2023 K. Petkevičius allegedly falsified 27 council member activity expense reports containing incorrect data about fuel acquisition expenses. During the pre-trial investigation, it was established that in this manner he allegedly fraudulently obtained 2,093 euros of funds belonging to Kėdainiai district municipal administration.
In addition to material damage, K. Petkevičius is charged with abuse of office and abuse of the right to receive benefits in order to gain personal financial benefit. It is believed that through these actions he caused significant non-material damage to Kėdainiai district municipal administration – undermining the institution's authority in the public eye.
Investigation circumstances
The pre-trial investigation was organised and led by a prosecutor from the Organised Crime and Corruption Investigation Division of Kaunas regional prosecutor's office. Investigations were carried out by STT officers.
All cases are connected with so-called "receipts" cases – systematic fraud involving municipal council members' claims for fuel or other activity expenses through cash compensation, where reports contained allegedly fictitious data.
Source: 15min