Jimmie Åkesson has been reported to Sweden’s Economic Crime Agency by the Left Party after new allegations about how the Sweden Democrats handled party finances, internal expenses and transactions involving a company linked to the party leader.
Left Party targets Åkesson, Broman and Wallerstein
The report was filed on Wednesday by Samuel Gonzalez Westling, group leader for the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet), following revelations by TV4’s investigative programme Kalla fakta. Unlike an earlier report by the Social Democratic Youth League (Sveriges socialdemokratiska ungdomsförbund, SSU), the Left Party’s complaint names three individuals: Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna, SD) leader Jimmie Åkesson, senior SD figure Bo Broman, and communications manager Joakim Wallerstein.
Gonzalez Westling said the allegations raised questions that should be examined by the authorities. “What has emerged are serious matters that could even be criminal. There is much to indicate that it could be tax crimes, and this is a party that aspires to government power,” he said.
He added that the report was not intended as a political tactic. “This is not a political game; it is about the fact that we cannot have a political elite that can escape responsibility. The law should apply equally to everyone. I am not saying this is criminal, but it is up to the authorities to investigate,” Gonzalez Westling said.
Kalla fakta allegations focus on tax and party accounting
The case follows a series of reports by Kalla fakta on the Sweden Democrats’ internal financial management. The programme said it had reviewed leaked emails, receipts and accounting material, pointing to alleged shortcomings in how the party recorded expenses for internal dinners, food and alcohol purchases, and other events.
According to TV4, some costs were allegedly booked as catering or events even when there was not always a corresponding event. Tax experts interviewed by the broadcaster said such arrangements could raise questions about benefit taxation, which applies when employees or representatives receive taxable advantages through their workplace or organisation.
The investigation also examined the role of ADBO Sverige AB, a subsidiary linked to the Sweden Democrats. Kalla fakta reported that the company bought large numbers of copies of a book written by Åkesson and published through his own company. The broadcaster also reported that large quantities of unsold books were later discarded after years in storage.
The Left Party’s report adds a legal dimension to what had already become a political and media controversy. The Swedish Economic Crime Agency (Ekobrottsmyndigheten) will decide whether the information warrants further investigation.
SD says an external audit will review the claims
The Sweden Democrats have rejected or questioned parts of the reporting and have said they will let an external auditing firm review the information that has emerged. Åkesson told TV4 that the party had appointed an outside auditor to examine whether anything needed to be corrected or whether internal routines should be changed.
Swedish Radio also reported that SD had hired one of the larger auditing firms to go through the questions raised by TV4. The party has previously said that it could not comment fully on some allegations, including because of ongoing legal disputes connected to the material used in the investigation.
The timing of the Left Party’s report coincided with the Sweden Democrats’ half-day at Almedalen, Sweden’s annual political week in Visby. Gonzalez Westling said the timing was coincidental and that the party had been working on the report for at least a week.
A financial scandal in Sweden’s election campaign
The allegations come during a sensitive phase in Swedish politics. The Sweden Democrats currently support the centre-right government led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson through the Tidö Agreement (Tidöavtalet), while remaining outside the cabinet. Ahead of the 2026 election, the possibility of SD entering government has become one of the central questions in Swedish politics.
For the opposition, the case reinforces criticism of SD’s claim to represent law, order and responsibility. For the Sweden Democrats, the external audit is an attempt to contain the controversy and show that the party is willing to examine the allegations internally.
At this stage, no authority has established that a crime has been committed. The case now depends on whether Swedish investigators consider the reported material sufficient to open a formal inquiry. Its political impact, however, is already visible: a party that may soon seek cabinet power is facing renewed scrutiny over transparency, taxation and the use of public resources.
