Sweden probes bank in money laundering case

COPENHAGEN – A Swedish prosecutor has launched an investigation into one of Sweden’s largest banks in connection with a sprawling money laundering scandal at Danish bank Danske Bank.

Thomas Langrot, chief prosecutor at Sweden’s Economic Crime Authority, says the probe will look at whether 15 of Swedbank’s largest shareholders received information that the bank was connected to the money laundering scandal before a TV report last week broke the news.

Swedish broadcaster SVT reported that Swedbank customers had been able to funnel at least 40 billion kronor ($4.3 billion) between Swedbank and Danske Bank in Estonia.

Langrot said Wednesday the probe will establish whether the shareholders illegally received insider information.

Estonia has ordered Danske Bank to shut its local subsidiary after the bank admitted massive amounts of money had been laundered.