Over €325 Million in Fraudulent Welfare Benefits Support Illicit Gang Networks in Sweden; Report
1st December 2025
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.