It was because of statements in the media Birgitte Bonnesen made after Uppdrag Granskning’s and SVT Nyheter’s revelations that she was sentenced two weeks ago to one year and three months in prison by the Svea Hovrätt.
– I was deeply shocked, I was devastated and completely incomprehensible. Although my lawyer explained it time and time again, I did not understand that I had been sentenced to prison. I thought I had received a fine of SEK 800, she tells Dagens Juridik.
The court case is about a series of statements that Bonnessen was convicted of during the years 2018-2019, when she was CEO of Swedbank. The case has been about whether Bonnesen covered up what she and the bank management knew about the suspected money laundering in Swedbank
The Court of Appeal states that Bonnesen “gave misleading information” when she was interviewed by Svenska Dagbladet and TT in connection with Swedbank’s release of its third quarterly report in 2018.
Swedbank’s former CEO: “I was devastated and completely at a loss”
She herself describes the verdict as “incomprehensible” and wants to emphasize that she was acquitted in the district court.
Bonnesen was charged in the Stockholm district court with gross fraud or gross market manipulation. She was also charged with disclosing insider information because she allegedly told major shareholders that SVT’s Uppdrag Granskning had a major disclosure underway, but was acquitted on all counts.
In the Court of Appeal, she was convicted of gross fraud, but acquitted of the other parts of the charge.
– The Court of Appeal’s conviction against me is as incomprehensible today as it was on September 10. I do not accept being sentenced for something I have not done and will do everything in my power to have the sentence vacated, she says.
Dagens Juridik’s reporter asked Bonnesen if there was anything she regrets from the period.
– You ask me if there is anything I regret. It’s easy to think with hindsight, many have done it and I don’t want to contribute to that. However, it is clear that I reflect, but I want to keep my reflections to myself.
