Supreme Court upholds Berletaitė’s conviction in expense case

Lithuania’s Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of former Neringa municipal council member Sandra Berletaitė for abuse of office, fraud and document forgery, LRT reported.

The court found that from April 23, 2019, to April 27, 2023, Berletaitė falsified 29 expense reports claiming reimbursement for fuel used in her car. By submitting the reports to the municipal administration’s accounting department, she fraudulently obtained more than 2,800 euros in municipal funds, the court said. Her actions caused both financial and substantial non-financial damage to the state.

The Supreme Court said the lower courts had properly assessed the evidence and classified her actions. It cited the nearly four-year duration of the offences, as well as the use of receipts belonging to relatives and other people to support expenses she had not actually incurred.

The court also rejected a request to release Berletaitė from criminal liability under surety, saying she had not fully admitted guilt or shown sincere remorse. The final, non-appealable ruling leaves in place a three-year ban on holding elected or appointed positions in state or municipal bodies and institutions. Berletaitė was also fined 6,500 euros.