Vocational school director suspected of fraud over car compensation

Hendrik Agur, director of the Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Centre, has been suspected of fraud in his official capacity over claims for using his personal car, ERR reported. Prosecutors say he sought compensation for trips that were not made.

Prosecutor Daniel Toom said Agur submitted claims to the Ministry of Education and Research over a period of nearly a year from August 2025. The initial suspicion puts the compensation sought at 4,500 euros, and prosecutors said the estimated loss could change as the investigation continues. Agur has repaid the money to the ministry.

Agur told ERR that he had misunderstood the purpose of the compensation and admitted submitting inaccurate information. In a message to colleagues, he said he had filed monthly claims of 500 euros between August 2025 and June 2026, totalling 5,500 euros. He said he repaid the full amount on August 12 and would cooperate with police.

The ministry said Agur had acknowledged errors in his travel logs, expressed regret and repaid the compensation. It is reviewing its internal control and oversight systems and said it would take any new information from the criminal investigation into account.

Agur became director of the Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Centre on August 1, 2025. The ministry said it was focused on maintaining the centre’s stable operation and continuity in the transition to Estonian-language education.