65-year-old Britta Nielsen is sentenced to six and a half years in prison.
This is what the verdict of the day is from the Copenhagen City Court.
At the same time, 113,137,325 kroner, various USB connectors, a Scandic and a document regarding payees of rate pools are confiscated.
The case has been called quite unusual because for 25 years Britta Nielsen utilized her position at the National Board of Social Services to transfer a total of DKK 117 million to herself. And just that, the court emphasizes in its decision:
– In the sentencing judgment, the court emphasized, among other things, the amount of the sum that there were 298 transfers made during a very long period from 1993 to 2018, the judgment says.
– It is also emphasized that the defendant took the money from the rate pools, which were intended for projects for vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens and in this connection abused his public position.
As at the other hearings in the case, all seats in the courtroom court 60 were occupied by ordinary audience and media people.
Britta Nielsen was also present at the sentencing. She received the verdict standing in the middle chair of the court and had been given a glass of water in advance by her defender Nima Nabipour.
‘Vacuumed cynical boxes’
The case against Britta Nielsen should have been settled as early as November last year.
But the lawsuit was postponed several times. Partly because Britta Nielsen was ill on the way and had to be picked up in an ambulance, but also because of legal discussion about a voluntary extradition agreement from South Africa.
For had Britta Nielsen been given the right guidance in South Africa before she signed? And did she know that the swift extradition would mean she could receive a longer prison sentence?
Due to the numerous cancellations, the case first reached its conclusion last week.
Here, the two prosecutors pleaded for the court to sentence Britta Nielsen to at least eight years in prison for the fraud.
“This is one of the most serious financial cases we have ever seen in Denmark,” said prosecutor Kia Reumert during the trial.
According to the prosecutor, Britta Nielsen vacuumed the treasury for money and systematically stole from the weakest of the community.
– She didn’t transfer money to get food on the table at home. Over 300 times she transferred money to herself to live a life of luxury.
Defense lawyer Nima Nabipour, in turn, thought about four to six years in prison would be appropriate.
Partly because of Britta Nielsen’s high age, and because the case has been tough on her and her family. But also because there was no control in the National Board of Social Affairs with the money transfers that happened from the rate pool.
– You can imagine that there is a suitcase full of money in the National Board of Health and Welfare. You take it and no one discovers it. The next day there is a suitcase again. Still, no one detects taking it, Nima Nabipour said in court a week ago.
Children indicted for gross robbery
While prosecutors and defender Nima Nabipour were finishing their proceedings at the last hearing against Britta Nielsen, the indictment against her children landed in the inbox of the country’s media.
Together, they have been charged with unjustly receiving more than $ 50 million from their mother.
The money is believed to stem from the scam at the National Board of Social Services.
According to the indictment, the 39-year-old son, Jimmy Hayat, today received money or assets from Britta Nielsen for approximately DKK 10.7 million from 2008 to 2018.
At the same time, he is accused of helping his mother hide money – among other things by transferring about DKK 900,000 to a lawyer as payment for a house in South Africa.
The son has been in custody since November 2018.
Britta Nielsen’s two daughters – Samina and Jamilla Hayat – are charged with receiving DKK 37.2 and 3.5 million respectively, which came from crime.
Samina Hayat has mainly spent the money in the horse world, while Jamilla Hayat has among other things paid her townhouse in Hvidovre and some cars.
The case against the three children begins in March at the Court in Glostrup.
They plead guilty.
Source: www.dr.dk
