Five Arrested in Norway Over Alleged Fraud in NATO Ship Contracts

Five individuals have been arrested in Norway as part of an investigation into suspected fraud and bribery connected to contracts for ships used in NATO missions. Searches were also conducted in Germany and Romania, according to Eurojust, the European Union’s criminal justice agency.

The probe centers on a company and its subcontractors, suspected of submitting fraudulent invoices for shore-based support services provided to ships and their crews during port visits in northwest Europe. Eurojust estimates that NATO member countries may have lost approximately one million euros ($1.1 million), though the full extent of the fraud is still under investigation.

In addition to the fraudulent invoicing, the company is accused of bribing public officials through an intermediary to gain preferential treatment from NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). The NSPA assists the 32 member nations of the security alliance and its partners in acquiring defense equipment and security systems.

While the company at the heart of the investigation has not been publicly identified, its premises in Romania and several residences were searched. In Germany, authorities searched two businesses and one home as part of the ongoing inquiry.