Police suspect that Nuorisosäätiö bribed RAY’s Jukka Vihriälä

Investigation focuses on art purchases during election campaign

Jukka Vihriälä

Antti Kaikkonen

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The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has expanded its investigation of former MP Jukka Vihriälä (Centre). The investigation now covers activities related to the Nuorisosäätiö youth housing foundation, which has close ties with the Centre Party.
      Police suspect that representatives of the foundation could have bribed Vihriälä a few years ago, when he served as chairman of the board of the Finnish Slot Machine Association (RAY), a state-run gaming monopoly which provides grants to various good causes. RAY also provided grants to Nuorisosäätiö.
      Nuorisosäätiö, for its part, contributed money to Vihriälä’s Parliamentary election campaigns.
     
NBI crime inspector Markku Ranta-aho cannot say how many former or present directors of the foundation might have been involved in bribery.
      “We will question many people who have worked in leading positions in the foundation. Later we will know more precisely which of them will be heard as suspects in a crime, and which will be used as witnesses, for instance”, Ranta-aho says.
      He feels that it is likely that more than one person will be charged with offering a bribe.
     
The criminal investigation involves activities during the past five years. The suspected bribery would have taken place primarily in 2006-2007, when Nuorisosäätiö bought paintings worth EUR 24,000, which were being sold to help finance Vihriälä’s Parliamentary election campaign.
      Ranta-aho says that other matters might be investigated as well.
      Police say that there is reason to suspect that the election support may have affected Vihriälä’s activities as RAY chairman. He did not disqualify himself when the board decided on grants to the foundation.
      Before the 2007 Parliamentary elections, Jorma Heikkinen was the managing director of Nuorisosäätiö, and Centre Party MP Antti Kaikkonen was the chairman of the foundation’s board.
      Kaikkonen has previously said that decisions on election funding were made by Heikkinen, and Heikkinen has said that he had the approval of the board for his actions.
     
On Monday, Kaikkonen refused to comment on the criminal investigation, saying that the matter is being looked into.
      Helsingin Sanomat was not able to reach Heikkinen on Monday.
      Seppo Pyykkönen, the present managing director of Nuorisosäätiö, also declined to comment on matters related to Jukka Vihriälä.
      Vihriälä himself also gave few comments. He said that he had not been questioned by police, but that he expects that he will be.
      “An investigation is underway so it is best that I do not take a stand on anything”, he said.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  RAY requests police investigation into activities of Jukka Vihriälä (7.10.2009)
  Vanhanen and Kaikkonen silent about alleged misdemeanours at Nuorisosäätiö (1.10.2009)
  RAY Chairman Vihriälä resigns in midst of election funding furore (23.9.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat