Five people were arrested in Norway on Wednesday, 14 October, as part of a NATO procurement fraud investigation involving more than €1 million in allegedly inflated invoices for services provided to military vessels in Norwegian ports.
The five suspects, all Norwegian nationals, were detained in the Bergen area and are suspected of aggravated fraud against the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) or complicity in the alleged scheme.
According to Norway’s National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim), the suspected overbilling took place between 2021 and 2025, involving services supplied to military ships during port visits.
The arrests were part of a coordinated international operation that also involved searches in Germany and Romania, with support from Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation.
How the suspected NATO procurement fraud worked
According to a statement published by Eurojust, the investigation concerns a company and its subcontractors suspected of submitting fraudulent invoices for services provided to NATO military vessels visiting ports in northwestern Europe.
The services under investigation are known as husbandry services, a category of shore-based logistical and operational support provided to ships and their crews while in port.
Investigators believe the company charged the NATO procurement agency more than it should have for these services. The suspected irregularities were initially identified by the NSPA itself.
Eurojust estimates that the alleged scheme has caused more than €1 million in losses to NATO member countries, although the exact amount remains under investigation.
The allegations also extend beyond fraudulent invoicing. According to Eurojust, the company is suspected of bribing foreign public officials through an intermediary to secure favourable treatment in its contractual dealings with the NATO agency.
The identities of the companies involved have not been publicly disclosed.
An international investigation involving several countries
The operation in Bergen was accompanied by searches at a company’s premises and several private residences in Romania. In Germany, investigators searched two businesses and one residential property.
Eurojust began supporting the investigation in April 2025. A joint investigation team was established in July, bringing together authorities from Norway, Romania and the United Kingdom to share evidence and coordinate their work.
The Norwegian operation was led by Økokrim, which also searched several residential and business addresses in the Bergen area.
Senior prosecutor Marianne Bender warned that rising defence spending worldwide could increase opportunities for financial crime.
Defence budgets are increasing around the world, which brings a greater risk of financial crime. This is an area we are monitoring. If NATO has been defrauded, it will be dealt with firmly.
Bender also explained that the investigation could take considerable time because the allegations cover several years and a large number of ship visits.
According to Norwegian newspaper VG, a lawyer representing one of the five suspects said her client disputes the allegations and denies criminal wrongdoing.
The allegations have not been established in court, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Økokrim has also reached an agreement with the NSPA to strengthen information-sharing, both for the current investigation and for future efforts to prevent and detect financial crime affecting NATO member countries.
The case highlights the importance of oversight in defence procurement at a time when military budgets are increasing across Europe and NATO member countries are expanding their defence investments.
