Varėna council member charged with expense fraud scheme

The Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office has referred a criminal case to court against Virginijus Varanavičius, a member of Varėna District Municipal Council, who is accused of fraud, abuse of office, document forgery, and falsification, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced on Friday.

According to the investigation, between 2019 and 2023, while serving as a council member, Varanavičius allegedly submitted 47 falsified expense reports. The documents contained misleading claims about fuel purchases, falsely linking them to his official duties.

Prosecutors state that by forging and submitting the reports to the municipality’s accounting department, Varanavičius fraudulently obtained nearly €6,200 for personal gain. He is also accused of exploiting his position to receive reimbursements for expenses that were not work-related, seeking unlawful financial benefit.

The pre-trial investigation concluded that his repeated and systematic misconduct distorted the rights granted to him as a public official, undermined his authority, and damaged public trust in both the council and Varėna District Municipality.

The case was investigated by the Organized Crime and Corruption Investigation Division of the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office, with support from the Corruption Investigation Unit of the Police Department’s Immunity Board. The Alytus District Court will hear the case.