Göran Lignell, a Liberal candidate for parliament, was convicted in 2021 of tax crimes linked to black wages paid to Moldavian construction workers in the Gothenburg area.
The operations ran from 2016 to 2018 through two companies where Lignell was owner and managing director. The firms flew in around one hundred workers from Moldavia for bathroom renovations, but many lacked valid work permits.
Tax authorities found that 1.8 million kronor were paid as black wages through Lignell's private account. He was sentenced to a suspended sentence and 120 hours of community service for obstructing tax control and bookkeeping crimes.
Kim Söderström, chairman of Byggnads, called the scheme an example of construction mafia and criticized Lignell for running for parliament. Lignell has blamed his business partner and said he ended up in a difficult situation between different laws.
