The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Helsinki police in June to investigate expense claims made by Jari Vilén, Finland’s former ambassador to Canada.

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Helsinki police have completed a preliminary investigation into suspicions of fraud and breach of duty against the former Finnish ambassador to Canada. Jari Vilenand passed the file to prosecutors to consider charges.

The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted a request to the Helsinki police in June to investigate expense claims submitted by Vilén. The ministry suspected that Vilén’s reasons for claiming some expenses did not always meet requirements, including his claim for his family’s relocation allowance.

The ministry believes Vilén applied for the full family relocation grant from September 2023 to May 2024 even though his relatives were not living full-time with him in Ottawa, the Canadian capital.

finnish media reported that the ministry intends to recover nearly 37,000 euros from Vilén.

In a Facebook post over the summer, Vilén said he had offered the ministry a means to return the money and that he intended to refund the full amount.

Written warning for sexual harassment

Vilen received a written warning from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May for inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment.

In a press release issued at the time, the ministry stated that Vilén had not “conducted himself in a manner appropriate to his status and duties as a public official,” adding that his behavior met the definitions of inappropriate conduct, harassment and sexual harassment. .

However, the statement notes that Vilén remains in the ministry, as the threshold to dismiss him has not yet been reached.

Vilén served as ambassador to Ottawa until late June, when he was removed from the position by the president. Alejandro Stubb at the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen (PNC). He was later transferred back to Helsinki and assigned other duties.