Sweden: Economic crime linked to Nobel lit. academy

Stockholm: Swedish authorities on Friday said they were probing an economic crime linked to the academy that awards the Nobel literature prize, after it plunged into a crisis over ties to a man accused of sexual assault. “A preliminary investigation into economic crimes in a case linked to the Swedish Academy has been launched,” the Swedish Economic Crime Authority said in a statement. The authority did not specify any suspects nor the alleged crime.

But last week, the Academy said it had provided investigators with findings of an internal probe into grant payments to a cultural club formerly run by JeanClaude Arnault, a French arts figure accused of sexual assault. Arnault denies the allegations.

The club showcased exhibitions, readings and performances by both the cultural elite and hopefuls, including Nobel literature laureates. Arnault’s connection to the Academy rocked the prestigious institution and forced its head Sara Danius to resign after failing to contain a fallout.

It has admitted that giving subsidies to the club was a conflict of interest, as Arnault is married to former academy member Katarina Frostenson, who owned half of the club, which has now closed.

The daily Dagens Nyheter published in November the testimonies of 18 women claiming to have suffered sexual violence or harassment.