Lithuania’s former military chief found guilty of fraud, fined €20,000

A Lithuanian court on Thursday convicted the country’s former military commander, Valdemaras Rupšys, of abuse of power, document forgery, and fraud, sentencing him to a €20,000 fine and a five-year ban from public service, LRT reports.

The Vilnius Regional Court ruled that Rupšys’ actions had caused significant harm to the state and the military. The verdict is not final and may be appealed.

A second defendant in the case, former military medical service dentist Šarūnas Ratkus, was also found guilty of the same charges for his role in falsifying medical records. He received a €15,000 fine and a five-year public service ban.

Prosecutors alleged that in July 2022, Rupšys falsely reported a dental injury sustained during a work trip and colluded with Ratkus to forge medical documents. The fraud enabled Rupšys to claim state reimbursement for dental implants. The court found that Ratkus had deliberately altered Rupšys’ medical records, undermining trust in military officers.

Prosecutor Stanislavas Barsulis argued that Rupšys had violated his military oath and discredited Lithuania’s defence institutions. Both defendants received the penalties requested by the prosecution.