Three leaders of the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (FMA) have been arrested and charged with gross economic unfaithfulness, according to multiple reports. The suspects include a department director, and the case involves alleged illegal increases in consultancy rates and procurement violations.
The arrests were made after searches at private addresses, according to Adresseavisen, which cited police prosecutor Carl Johan Løken. The charge of gross economic unfaithfulness carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison. Økokrim, Norway's economic crime authority, received information from FMA and started an investigation this year, Løken said. The case is being treated as one joint criminal case.
Searches were conducted at private addresses today and three people were arrested. We are continuously assessing whether the grounds for pre-trial detention are present.
The alleged scheme centers on the procurement of consultancy services from a company owned by one of the accused leaders. According to multiple reports, the procurement included hiring the accused leader to FMA, and later amendment agreements and extension of his consultancy services. The procurement was handled by the accused department director and the other accused leader. Økokrim believes the hourly rate for consultancy services was increased by 35 percent, in violation of the original contract and procurement rules. After the increase, one leader is said to have left FMA and then started as a consultant in the same company.
One of the accused owns a consultancy company established in 2025, which had a reported income of 4.1 million Norwegian kroner during the year. The company has not reported having any employees. Correspondence between FMA and the company shows contact as recently as February regarding possible project manager consultancy services.
We are treating this as one joint criminal case.
The case was discovered through an internal control at FMA, then reviewed by their internal audit, which recommended contacting Økokrim, according to FMA director Gro Jære. The accused are considered innocent until a possible verdict, but all have been stripped of their authorisation, Jære said. "This is a very demanding situation both for those involved and for FMA," Jære said in a press release. "Out of consideration for the investigation and for the three individuals involved, no further information will be given at this time." According to Adresseavisen, Løken described the alleged misconduct as potentially weakening a fundamental societal function if trusted positions in the defence sector are exploited.
Several details remain unclear, including the specific evidence that led Økokrim to believe the hourly rate increase was illegal, the exact relationship between the accused leaders and the consultancy company, and whether any other individuals or companies were involved. The total value of the consultancy contracts and how long the alleged misconduct had been ongoing before discovery are also unknown.
If someone in trusted positions in the defence sector exploits this, it could weaken a completely fundamental societal function.