Four politicians face charges in Lithuania’s “čekiukai” expense scandal

Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (STT) has announced charges against four municipal council members from Joniškis, Marijampolė, Prienai, and Telšiai in connection with the ongoing “čekiukai” (receipt) expense fraud scandal, LRT reports.

Vilija Bartašienė, a former Joniškis District Municipal Council member, is suspected of abuse of office and submitting false expense reports for fuel between 2019 and 2023, allegedly causing €637 in damages to the municipality.

Algirdas Brazys, a former Marijampolė Municipal Council member, faces similar charges for the period 2019–2021, with suspected false fuel expense claims amounting to nearly €5,000 in damages.

Rima Zablackienė, a former Prienai District Municipal Council member, is accused of submitting false data between 2019 and 2023, potentially causing damages of nearly €6,300. Linas Šedvilas, a former Telšiai District Municipal Council member, is suspected of falsifying expense reports, resulting in approximately €1,200 in damages.

All four individuals have been charged with abuse of office, misappropriation of property, and falsification or tampering with documents.