Prison guards and inmates implicated in bribery scandal – five requested to be remanded in custody after raid on facility

The Prosecution Authority has requested five individuals to be remanded in custody after police raided several locations in Sweden – including inside the Norrtälje prison. Two former employees are suspected of accepting bribes and committing gross misconduct. Three men with ties to the inmates, at least one of whom is serving a sentence, are suspected of gross bribery and of instigating or aiding the misconduct. The case has clear links to organized gang crime and reports of smuggled mobile phones.

Chief Prosecutor Ludmila Pronko stated that two individuals who previously worked at Norrtälje prison are suspected on probable cause of gross misconduct and gross bribery. Three others – two connected to inmates and one individual acting from the outside – are suspected of gross bribery and of instigating or aiding gross misconduct. The remand hearings will be held at the Gothenburg District Court on Friday, November 14th.

The Suspects

The following is stated in the remand submissions in the case that Samnytt has accessed.

Woman, 31 years old (former employee)
Suspected of gross misconduct and gross bribery at Norrtälje prison between September 1st and November 2nd, 2025. The prosecutor has indicated the risk of tampering with evidence/obstructing the investigation in the remand submission and requests restrictions (including cohabitation, common residence, visits, electronic communication, and mail).

Man, 25 years old (former employee)
Suspected of gross misconduct and gross bribery between September 1st and November 2nd, 2025 linked to Norrtälje prison. The prosecutor has indicated the risk of tampering with evidence and requests restrictions.

Man, 23 years old (“outside”)
Suspected of gross bribery (September 15th–30th) and aiding gross misconduct (September 1st–30th) in Sweden linked to Norrtälje prison. Both the risk of tampering with evidence and the risk of continued criminal activity are indicated. Restrictions are requested.

Man, 30 years old (inmate)
Currently serving a sentence at Hall prison outside Södertälje. Suspected of instigating gross misconduct (September 1st–22nd) and gross bribery (September 1st–30th), with crime scenes linked to Norrtälje. The risk of tampering with evidence is indicated and restrictions are requested.

Man, 23 years old (connected to inmate environment)
Suspected of instigating gross misconduct (September 1st–22nd) and gross bribery (September 1st–30th) linked to Norrtälje prison. The risk of tampering with evidence is indicated and restrictions are requested.

Smuggled phones enabled gangs to communicate with the outside

According to information, the case involves the smuggling of mobile phones into Norrtälje prison, enabling communication for gang criminals. Two former employees are suspected of involvement, and the information links inmates and an external actor to the events.

Several of those involved are reported to have ties to the immigrant criminal network Södra Biskop(s)gården in Gothenburg. The information places two of the detainees in or near the environment, where the group has been part of a violent conflict for a long time.

Significant and increasing problem

The Prison and Probation Service has long pointed out that unauthorized communication from within facilities is used to plan serious crimes, influence witnesses/victims, and control drug and violence setups from the cells.

According to an overview made by TV4, the authority has noted an increase in mobile phone findings in facilities and remand centers – from 76 findings in 2023 to 133 in 2024 – and describes the phones as “extremely small and easy to conceal”.

This corresponds with the information in the current case where the suspicions concern bribes to get phones to specific inmates.

Gang context: Gamlestaden murder and wave of violence

In the background are previous convictions and prosecutions in Gothenburg linked to the network from Södra Biskopsgården – including the murder in Gamlestaden where several individuals have been sentenced to long terms based on Encrochat material, and an attempted murder at a Pressbyrån store in central Gothenburg linked to the conflict.

These crimes and convictions illustrate the background of the networks with capital violence and organization, but are not crucial for the remand questions in the current case.

The remand hearings will be held at the Gothenburg District Court on Friday. It is not clear from available documents whether the accused deny or admit the charges.