2 held in connection with faulty mask scam

The police have detained two persons in connection with a crooked deal to provide the National Emergency Supply Agency (Huoltovarmuuskeskus-HVK)-NESA with personal protective equipment (PPE), reported the national broadcaster Yle on Thursday.

NESA paid a businessman, Onni Sarmaste, 4.9 million euros for a delivery of face masks from China to be used by healthcare workers, but the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland found the masks did not meet the standards for hospital use.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Sarmaste on Wednesday and an alleged accomplice on Thursday and took both men into custody in Espoo.

Members of law enforcing agency are interrogating the detainees about the alleged scheme to cheat the state in the face mask deal.

Sarmaste operated an instant-loan company before running heavily into debt himself. He has a long criminal record including assault, making threats, resisting arrest, and drunk driving, said the Yle report.

The police also seized 2.7 million euros in funds from Sarmaste, as well as two luxury cars – a Bentley and a Porsche – which were bought immediately after the mask deal.

The Yle report quoted NBI Superintendent Tomi Taskila as saying that one of the cars was registered in the other man’s name.

The police suspect Sarmaste of aggravated fraud and the other man of aggravated money laundering. The NBI believes the cars were purchased with the proceeds of the aggravated fraud.

The authorities have not released the suspects’ names, but Yle has learned that Sarmaste is one of them.

The NESA on 14 April requested a police investigation into the 10-million-euro deal to purchase protective equipment that failed to meet the standards for hospital use.

NESA Chairperson Ilona Lundström at a press conference on Thursday afternoon said the two deals involved a businessman with a chequered financial past, Onni Sarmaste, and one-time reality TV personality Tiina Jylhä, who did not comply with proper procurement procedures.

Earlier, on 13 April, the NESA Board of Directors suspended two senior officials of the agency for their involvement in the process of importing faulty face masks.

The suspended officials are NESA Deputy Director-General (Administration) Asko Harjula and Director, Industry Jyrki Hakola.

On 10 April, NESA Managing Director Tomi Lounema resigned following the import of the faulty coronavirus PPE.