Court upholds fraud conviction of Kėdainiai council member

LRT reports that a court has upheld the fraud conviction of Kėdainiai District Council member Daiva Makutienė for collecting payments from parents for a choir that was free to attend.

The Kaunas Regional Court on Friday rejected Makutienė’s appeal and upheld the Kaunas District Court ruling in full. The verdict is now final. Makutienė must pay a 3,750-euro fine and will lose her council seat.

The lower court ruled in April that Makutienė, the former leader of the Perliukai pop choir at the Kėdainiai Culture Centre, told parents that attendance required regular payments. The choir was funded by the Kėdainiai district municipal budget, and Makutienė received a salary for leading it.

From late 2022 until spring 2024, parents transferred 20 to 25 euros each month to Makutienė’s personal account. Two affected families were each awarded 1,000 euros in non-pecuniary damages and 770 euros in financial damages. Makutienė was also ordered to cover their legal costs. She will have to pay more than 10,000 euros in total to the state and the victims.

The investigation began in 2024. Makutienė denied guilt and did not want to return the money, the report said. Under the law, a council member loses their mandate once a conviction becomes final. No by-election is held; the next candidate on the same list takes the seat.