A Swedish government review has found that thousands of people linked to gangs in Sweden have been drawing income from the country’s benefits system for years, creating what authorities describe as a reliable, legal-looking revenue stream for criminal networks.
According to findings prepared under the state’s organized crime framework, about 4,000 individuals known to police for gang affiliation have been receiving sickness benefits, sick pay, or job-seeker support. Combined payments across the group are estimated at 3.6 billion kronor (€327.5 million) over time, enough to provide what officials call a “white” income even when illicit earnings fluctuate.
It effectively means that law-abiding Swedish taxpayers are inadvertently subsidizing criminal gangs through the benefit system, providing them with a safety net income that enables them to continue operating.
Nils Öberg, head of the Social Insurance Agency, said the material reinforces the pattern authorities have been tracking. Speaking to TV4, he said the welfare system has become part of the business model: an official income on paper, and criminal income off it.
Samnytt notes that the report shows a marked overrepresentation of people with a migration background in the cohort examined. This applies to both those born abroad and those born in Sweden to two foreign-born parents.
Investigators highlight the contradiction between benefits requiring reduced work ability and the documented activity of some recipients. Case studies in the report refer to individuals formally certified as unfit for work while running gangs, traveling abroad, or coordinating violent offenses. One man listed on medical grounds after an accident was recorded visiting gyms and participating in gang operations. Another, diagnosed with limited work ability, is reported to have led a large criminal network while accumulating more than 30 convictions.
Maintenance support is also cited as a hidden revenue channel. Since many gang figures report little or no legal income, the state covers child maintenance on their behalf. In 2024, more than 3,600 such individuals were classified as unable to pay, resulting in payouts of around 118 million kronor (€10.7 million).
The review also tracked corporate links. One in three businesses that filed sickness claims on behalf of gang-connected employees are run or previously run by people with criminal links. More than four in five show clear connections to gang networks. The personal assistance sector in particular was flagged as an area with heavy infiltration, both among staff and among owners.
Social Insurance Minister Anna Tenje, as cited by Sydsvenskan, said that the situation was “astonishing” and insisted that public funds are meant for people who genuinely need them. She argued that weakening the financial lifeline to criminal networks is essential if the government wants to reduce gang influence.
Speaking to TV4, Labor Minister Johan Britz described those involved as “welfare pirates,” adding that taxpayers were effectively financing criminal lifestyles under the guise of social support.
Police estimate that around 67,500 people in Sweden have some form of gang association, of whom roughly 17,500 are considered actively involved. National Police Commissioner Petra Lundh said there is no clear indication of improvement or deterioration and warned that recruitment remains steady.
The authors of the review state that existing law was designed for honest applicants rather than organized exploitation and suggest that stronger information-sharing powers and more robust verification are required. The government says new data-access legislation will come into effect in December, with further reforms planned later in the parliamentary term.
Officials say the next step is to reassess benefit cases flagged in the review and halt payments where fraud is suspected. The agency involved says it will broaden investigations, but ministers have offered no timeline on when changes will take full effect.
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