Prosecutors refer corruption case of election official and government vice-chancellor to court

The Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office has forwarded a criminal case against Justas Pankauskas, a member of Lithuania’s Central Electoral Commission (VRK) and vice-chancellor of the government, to Alytus District Court, public broadcaster LRT reports.

Pankauskas, a former councilor in Lazdijai District Municipality, faces charges of abuse of office, embezzlement, document forgery, and fraudulent use of documents. Prosecutors allege that between 2019 and 2021, while serving as a municipal councilor, he submitted falsified expense reports for fuel purchases supposedly linked to his official duties.

Investigators found that Pankauskas used fuel receipts paid for by other individuals or legal entities via their payment cards to justify his own reimbursement claims. By allegedly falsifying records and submitting them to the municipality’s accounting department, he is accused of misappropriating 2,516 euros of public funds belonging to Lazdijai District Municipality.

The charges also include abuse of his official position for personal financial gain, which prosecutors argue undermined public trust in him as a politician and damaged the reputation of the local government.

The case follows a broader investigation, initiated by activist Andrius Tapinas, into potential misuse of administrative funds by local politicians across multiple municipalities.