Aftonbladet revealed Member M: Received with 133,000 SEK

Annicka Engblom broke the rules of Parliament and used the bonus points she earned in the service for a private vacation.

Aftonbladet revealed how M-top used these points for a family trip to Florida.

From now on, Engblom is billed 133,000 SEK. At the same time, taxpayers are obliged to pay employers' fees of more than 41,000 crowns.

During the scrutiny of power, 36 of the 50 MPs who fled the most refused to indicate the number of bonus points they had won.

Among them, Kent Härstedt, S, who fled for more than one million Swedish krona during his last term.

Of the few who answered Aftonbladet's question, C, Per Åsling, had the most points.

He said he has nearly 800,000 points.

Not verified

This equates to eight business class return trips to the United States or Asia, which can cost about 240,000 SEK.

The bonus points will be used for the service, but the Aftonbladet survey showed that members rarely use this opportunity.

The review also showed that the Riksdag administration also did not control the number of points earned in missions or their use.

Do not remember the points used

Aftonbladet also asked questions of the 50 members who stole the most.

The 51-year-old moderate and communicative parliamentary member Annicka Engblom was elected to the 2006 Riksdag. During the last term, she was a member of the KU Constitutional Committee.

She first replied that she did not remember if she was using bonus points:

"As for the bonus points, I do not remember that I used them for this mandate."

But it was not good.

When Aftonbladet asked new questions, Engblom changed.

Florida trip with the family

She then stated that she had used the riksdag bonus points to get more expensive tickets for her loved ones:

"The private family trip to Florida took place in 2015. Your question regarding this trip has me to check my information at SAS.It's true that I've used bonus points in euros for improve the seats of the trip. "

She acknowledged that she was wrong, that it was a "single offense" and indicated that she would contact the Tax Agency to make a correction . The private use of bonus points is not simply a violation of Parliament's rules. It also means that the value of the points must be taxed.

However, during the examination, before the elections, Annicka Engblom did not want to specify the number of points mentioned. Nor did she report to the parliamentary administration.

But now, it is a public task at the Swedish Tax Agency.

READ ALSO:

► Prosecutor Reslow: "will pass with caution"
► Caroline Szyber (KD) leaves the Riksdag
► On vacation with family – allows taxpayers to pay hotels
► S politicians steal the most – refuse to meet bonus points
► After the review: Michael Svensson leaves politics

taxable income has increased

The Swedish Tax Agency has now decided to collect Member M and to receive a service income of 133,462 SEK.

The statement says:

You have requested a correction of your tax because you have not been taxed for the use of Eurobonus SAS points earned in the service. The value of bonus points used was calculated at 133,462 kr. The Swedish Tax Agency accepts your calculation.

The taxable acquisition proceeds are set at 977,100 SEK.

Annicka Engblom writes to Aftonbladet that she corrects the error.

"The tax administration accepted my calculation proposal, it was paid and I corrected the mistake I made.

Additional costs for taxpayers

For the administration, this means that the government is now obliged to pay the employer's fees for the trip to Florida, which means that taxpayers are most affected by Engblom's cheating.

"It's an advantage, like a salary, which is based on the tax," says Pia Andersson, a lawyer at the Swedish Tax Agency, who worked on the Engblom case.

The entire contribution of the employer corresponds to 31.42% of gross salary and preferential benefits paid, which amounts to just over 41 000 crowns in the case of Engblom.

"Can contribute to tax evasion"

Riksdag members earn hundreds of thousands of points by traveling with SAS in the service.

Gunilla Nordgren, a former member of the M, a civilian economist and former director of Svedala City Council, believes the score should be reported openly.

Claes Sandgren, professor of civil law and former president of the Institute against Corruption, is also critical.

By not checking how bonus points earned are used, the Riksdag can contribute to tax evasion and the system does not benefit taxpayers, but mainly users.

"I think the Riksdag should tighten the rules or, preferably, let the bonus systems.

Therefore, we do the examination

November 5, 2018 6:57 p.m.