In 2013, Carlström – who was just 28 years old — and his company SBS Resurs Direkt entered into a contract with Folksam, one of the largest financial companies in Sweden, which counted about half the country’s population among its clients. Carlström managed funds for Folksam’s clients and his company operated under Folksam’s licenses. Carlström’s company quickly became the largest source of client investment funds for Folksam. In 2014, Folksam told Carlström to decrease his investments, which made him suspicious.
Meet Victor Carlström
Victor is a 37-year-old Swedish citizen who, from 2006-2015 was the hottest financial broker in the country. As a fund manager, he employed more than 200 people, managing more than 10,000 clients. He has a proven track record at international banks such as Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Société Générale, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, UBS, HSBC, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, EFG Bank, Nordea, SEB, Swedbank, Danske Bank, Handelsbanken, SBAB Bank, ING, and Carnegie Investment Bank.
Then he spoke up.
In early 2015 Carlström voiced concerns about the company’s operations; in September Folksam’s then CEO Jens Henriksson severed the relationship without paying Carlström and his company US$12 million in commissions that were owed to them. Folksam went onto steal Carlström’s clients, illegally moving accounts to other funds without customer consent or knowledge.
Henriksson then began a concerted, malicious and illegal effort to use his company, the people in his control (a group known as “The Team of 15”), other professional associates and Swedish government agencies to destroy Carlström and his companies.
From 2015-2019, Swedish government agencies used their power and authority – at Henriksson’s direction – to:
- Help Henriksson steal Carlström’s clients;
- Loot Carlström’s companies;
- Smear Carlström’s reputation, and;
- Destroy his family.
The agencies initiated continuing illegitimate tax investigations on all his companies, Financial Supervisory Authority improperly denies the registration of Carlström’s company, cancel a contract potentially worth billions of dollars.
For his part, Carlström continued the due diligence and investigation into Folksam that he began when he suspected questionable operations in 2014 and it has resulted in him being constantly on the run, the loss of his family, attempts on his life and two suicide attempts.
Meanwhile, Carlström’s fact-finding — as outlined in his 74-page, US$4.2 billion lawsuit – paints a picture of several Swedish government officials and agencies conspiring with, and profiting from, illicit and illegal activities of Henriksson, including:
- Racketeering;
- Money Laundering;
- Illegal commissions to government officials;
- Mail Fraud;
- Wire Fraud;
- Tortious interference with contracts;
- Conspiracy to murder;
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
The lawsuit was filed against Folksam, Jens Henriksson (now Swedbank’s Director-General), Swedbank, the Swedish Tax Agency and its Director-General Katrin Westling Palm, the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority and its Director-General Erik Thedéen and other officials for crimes listed in the RICO Act.
The lawsuit has the potential to cripple global financial systems and markets based on widespread corruption and malfeasance. But it also has the potential of fundamentally fixing broken, corrupt and criminal financial and governmental systems in Sweden and beyond.
Meanwhile, Carlström– who has applied for asylum in the United States – continues to move the country to stave off attempts on his life. His wife and two young children left him to return to Europe. He’s lost his family, his friends, his companies, and tens of millions of dollars was stolen from him – because he spoke up.