Crime writer Hakan Nesser convicted of tax fraud

The Court of Appeal sentenced Naseer to one year and six months in prison.

Swedish author Hakan Neser He was convicted of serious tax offenses in three cases. TT news agency and other Swedish media reported on Friday that he and another person withdrew nearly 15 million Swedish krona (about 1.33 million euros) from companies in Malta without informing the Swedish Tax Agency of the profits. The Court of Appeal sentenced him to one year and six months in prison.

The Swedish writer denied any wrongdoing and described it as an unintentional mistake. The writer said: “I am completely shocked. It is unfair. You imagine that there is truth and justice and then it happens like this.” “This is completely incomprehensible,” said Naseer, who wants to appeal to the Supreme Court. “It is destroying our lives.”

The writer wants to appeal

Nasr continued in his statements to TT: “There is only one story, which is that our financial advisor made a mistake, or perhaps two mistakes, and took responsibility for it.”

The best-selling author (“Left Hand League”) must now be responsible for half of the amount transferred from Malta, SEK 7.4 million. She added that the other defendant would be responsible for the other half of the money.

The 74-year-old was acquitted in the District Court last year after charges were brought against him in 2022. The prosecutor appealed the ruling, as well as the acquittal of his financial advisor and the third person also charged. The charges were caused by unreported payments and income from a company registered abroad between 2013 and 2015, when he returned to Sweden and changed his tax residence.

Nesser is one of the most famous Swedish authors. He has written nearly 40 novels. His works regularly end up on bestseller lists. In addition to his successful series about Inspectors Van Veteren and Gunnar Barbarotti, he regularly writes other crime novels. Most recently, his book “A Stranger Knocking on Your Door” was published in German by btb Verlag in 2023.