Finnish millionaire falls victim to elaborate fraud scheme involving staged murders

A Finnish millionaire was deceived into believing he had killed or was responsible for the deaths of seven people. In reality, no murders occurred; the deaths were staged. The millionaire paid fraudsters approximately €750,000 for body disposal and silencing those aware of the matter. Eleven individuals have been involved in this case.

Matti Tolvanen, a professor emeritus of criminal law, described the situation as exceptionally rare in Finland’s criminal history. “I can’t recall a case where someone was made to believe they were guilty of killing one or multiple people,” he stated, highlighting the highly organized nature of the crime. While it is uncommon for homicides to be staged in Finland, he noted that people are often tricked into believing they have committed crimes, particularly in the online space.

The millionaire, a real estate investor born in the 1950s, rented an apartment to one of the fraudsters in 2015. Over time, they became friends, and the millionaire provided financial help to his tenant. Four years later, the deceit began. After drunken altercations at his home, the fraudsters would end the disputes by having one “victim” collapse to the floor, appearing dead. The millionaire paid for disposing of these bodies and silencing individuals who knew too much, even soliciting friends to harm women posing as relatives of the so-called victims.

Tolvanen indicated that while the millionaire could potentially be charged with conspiracy to commit murder, no real threat existed since the intended victims were aware of the scheme. The events unfolded between 2019 and 2020, during which the victim reportedly struggled with alcoholism and was manipulated by the fraudsters who supplied him with alcohol.

The case gained media attention this week as the Vaasa Court of Appeal increased sentences for several convicted individuals involved. The severity of the crimes warranted harsher penalties, according to Tolvanen.