Ilkka Sasi reports blackmail threats following Christmas party incident in Tampere

Ilkka Sasi, the deputy mayor of Tampere, reported that he has been subjected to blackmail and received threatening text messages following a Christmas party last December. According to Sasi, the messages originated from an individual who attended an after-party at his residence. This after-party triggered an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and alcohol-related offenses against Sasi, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

In August, prosecutors decided not to pursue charges against him. However, Sasi revealed that he himself has been a victim in related incidents involving illegal threats, attempted extortion, defamation, and assault. These allegations were recently handed over to prosecutors for review.

Sasi spoke publicly about the evening in question, which began when he met two 17-year-old women and their 20-year-old friend at a McDonald’s. After inviting them to his home, he offered them alcohol, unaware of their underage status. The situation has prompted a temporary committee to recommend Sasi’s dismissal from the city council, asserting that he has lost the council’s trust despite the prosecutor’s decision not to indict.

One day after the party, Sasi received menacing messages that made him feel unsafe, hinting at a potential public exposure of his identity. The sender suggested a financial arrangement to keep the events of that night quiet. Sasi noted that he called the police during the incident, claiming the individual threatened him and assaulted him while waiting for law enforcement. Despite previous disclosures about the investigation, Sasi had not detailed the night’s events publicly, stating that he wanted to allow police to conduct their investigation without interference.