.In Brief.
- The total number of those affected is believed to be significantly higher.
- Each person reportedly paid between 1 million and 1.6 million Nepali rupees to come to Finland.
- The victims were promised seasonal and permanent work.
HELSINKI — Approximately four dozen Nepali nationals have sought protection from Finnish authorities after allegedly becoming victims of serious fraud and labour exploitation, Nepalilainen has learned.
According to the victims, a criminal network brought them to Finland with promises of employment but abandoned them without providing work or wages.
Nepalilainen has obtained the names and details of 43 Nepali nationals affected by this alleged fraud and labour exploitation. Over the past two weeks, the publication has contacted victims through various channels to gather information about their current situation.
Of the 43 victims, 39 were brought to Finland on seasonal visas with promises of forestry work. The remaining four are Nepali nationals already residing in Finland on ‘A’ permits. All victims are men between the ages of 23 and 45, with the majority in their early to mid-thirties.
According to sources familiar with the case, this represents only one group of victims, and the total number of those affected is believed to be significantly higher.
Most of the victims were brought to Finland approximately six months ago with promises of forestry work in the Kajaani, Kainu, and Sotkamo regions, located about 600 kilometers north of the capital, Helsinki.
Nepalilainen has reviewed emails sent by victims requesting government assistance, as well as employment contracts (“work agreements”) they signed with a company registered in Kajaani, Finland.
While Nepali nationals have previously fallen victim to fraud and labor exploitation in Finland on multiple occasions, this appears to be the first incident involving such a large number of victims.
The Finnish press has not yet reported on this incident, and Nepalilainen is breaking this story.
The criminal network responsible for bringing Nepali workers to Finland and abandoning them appears to involve Nepali, Finnish, Ukrainian, and Indian nationals. Nepalilainen is continuing to gather additional facts about this case.
According to sources familiar with the case, this represents only one group of victims, and the total number of those affected is believed to be significantly higher.
Broken Promises
“We were not given the work we were promised,” one victim told Nepalilainen. “Even when they made us work one or two days a week, we were not paid.”
“They didn’t give us work, and they didn’t pay us for the work we did,” he added. “They took huge amounts of money by showing us dreams, then abandoned us.”
According to victims, each person paid between 1 million and 1.6 million Nepali rupees (approximately €7,500-€12,000) to come to Finland. They were promised permanent employment after their seasonal visas expired, as well as assistance in obtaining ‘A’ permits.
After being abandoned by the company that brought them, the victims managed to collect some cash by picking berries in the forest with the help of a local businessman.
The Alleged Perpetrators
A Nepali national who has been living in Finland for some time appears to be directly connected to this case.
According to information obtained by Nepalilainen, he arrived in Finland on a tourist visa approximately two to two-and-a-half years ago and moved in with a young woman. The woman’s signature appears on the employment contracts signed by the Nepali victims.
According to the victims, Finnish police have arrested and are investigating the male suspect.
In the first week of October, it was reported that Finland’s Border Guard had arrested a 42-year-old Nepali-speaking man on charges of involvement in illegally smuggling people into Finland.
Victims have told Nepalilainen that this Nepali national is connected to their case. However, Nepalilainen has not obtained independent confirmation from official government sources that he was arrested specifically in connection with this incident.
Nepalilainen contacted the company that allegedly abandoned the Nepali workers for comment but has not received a response. According to a reliable source, police have also arrested and are investigating the company’s operator.
Uncertain Future
A lawyer has provided legal assistance to the victims, who hope to receive unpaid wages and compensation, as well as some accommodation when renewing their residence permits due to their status as fraud victims.
However, with the current government taking increasingly strict measures against immigrants and tightening immigration rules, victims express growing concern that they may be deported back to Nepal.
Yogendra Sangraula, president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) Finland, told Nepalilainen that after some victims contacted the organization, they were advised on procedures for seeking assistance in Finland.
Not all, but many of the victims are currently staying in shelters provided by the Finnish government. According to one victim who spoke with Nepalilainen, Finnish authorities have been calling them in for statements.
“We don’t know what will happen or how it will happen—nothing is certain,” one victim told Nepalilainen.
“So much money has been lost. There’s no guarantee of work or visa renewal. We’re all under tremendous stress.”
