A prominent Social Democratic politician was convicted of attempted fraud and resigned from his post.
Former politician Kasper Sand Kjær was given a 60-day suspended prison sentence, along with community service, on Friday morning in a case involving filing a false report and attempted fraud. Kjær was a member of the Danish parliament and the Social Democratic Party's rapporteur on migration and integration between 2019 and 2023.
Comment by the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen commented on the case involving the prominent member of her party, saying she was unaware of it and only learned of it when it was made public. She added that it was regrettable, but good that he had admitted his actions.
False report and attempted fraud
The case relates to a false report filed by Kasper in May 2023 regarding the theft of his credit card on May 23. He claimed it was used illegally to withdraw 45,310 Danish kroner, but investigations revealed his report was false, leading to him being charged with attempted fraud.
Details of the ruling
The defendant was sentenced to 60 days' imprisonment suspended, two months' probation, and in addition, he was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service to be completed within six months, with the costs of the case being borne by him.
Admitting the charges: “The biggest mistake”
Casper Sandkeer admitted to all charges of making a false report and attempted fraud, and expressed his willingness to cooperate with the prosecution. He explained that he knew his report and attempt to obtain the money were based on false information, describing it as the “biggest mistake” of his life, but he did not specify what he intended to use the money for.
The impact of the case on his political career
This scandal led to Kasper Sandkjær's resignation as chairman of the board of the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy (DIPD), as he announced that he did not want this issue to hinder the important work the institute does to promote democracy. Despite this resignation, Kasper continues his work as an independent consultant at his own foundation.
