Three leaders from Norway’s defense procurement agency, Forsvarsmateriell (FMA), have been detained and charged with serious economic fraud by the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim), according to reports from Norwegian media outlets.
An assistant director and two department leaders were taken into custody on Thursday, April 23, 2026, following an investigation into allegedly inflated consulting service contracts. Økokrim alleges the three individuals colluded to award overpriced consulting perform to a company linked to one of the suspects, with the contract later amended, and extended.
The agency claims the hourly rate for these consulting services was increased by 35 percent, a move Økokrim says violated both the original agreement and public procurement regulations. After the rate hike, the individual in question reportedly left FMA before returning as a consultant to the same firm.
Two of the three suspects were released later on Thursday afternoon after questioning, whereas the third remains in custody. All three have been formally charged but retain the presumption of innocence under Norwegian law. Their legal representatives have stated that their clients deny any wrongdoing and claim they do not understand the basis of the allegations.
According to Økokrim, the case came to light during an internal review at FMA, which was subsequently reported to authorities. The agency warned recently of heightened corruption risks in the defense sector due to increased military spending and procurement activity.
Officials emphasized that such misconduct undermines public trust and national defense capabilities by diverting allocated funds from their intended purpose or inflating costs beyond contractual agreements. Økokrim pledged to continue monitoring defense sector procurement closely to prevent further irregularities.
