Former Varėna councillor faces fraud and forgery charges

LRT reported Friday that a criminal case has been sent to the Alytus District Court against former Varėna District Municipality council member Virginija Druskinienė, who is accused of fraud, abuse of office and forging documents and possessing forged documents.

A prosecutor at the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office prepared the indictment after assessing the evidence collected during the pretrial investigation. The investigation was led by Darius Valkavičius, a prosecutor in the organised crime and corruption investigation division, and carried out by officers from the Police Department’s immunity board.

According to the case materials, Druskinienė allegedly falsified 26 reports on the use of council member allowances between 2019 and 2023. The reports allegedly contained inaccurate information about fuel expenses that were unrelated to her activities as a council member.

The investigation found that she may have fraudulently obtained 1,690 euros for her own benefit. The money belonged to the administration of Varėna District Municipality.

Druskinienė is also accused of abusing her official position and her right to receive reimbursements for expenses related to her council activities in order to gain financial benefit.

Prosecutors allege that her actions distorted the rights granted to her as a municipal council member, diminished the authority of the position and public trust in her, and harmed the image of Varėna District Municipality.