Westerdals Oslo ACT
Private school is charged with serious fraud of roughly 35 million . ØKOKRIM conducted searchings Tuesday.
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Norwegian authorities have withdrawn charges the college Westerdals Oslo ACT for gross fraud.
- Westerdals Oslo ACT was created in 2014 when three private schools merged: Westerdals school of communications (WSoC) NITH and NISS.
- the school is owned by the Group Anthon B Nilsen, owned by Peder Nicolai Løvenskiold and Reidar and Gunnar Holst’s endowment.
- DN told autumn 2015 about how the school’s owners moved over 100 million from the schools to the parent company in connection with the merger, despite the ban on dividends.
- the state requires back altogether NOK 56 million which was given in government and financial support in connection with three lines at Westerdals run without approval.
- the then Westerdals school of Communications also demanded more tuition fees from students than regulations allowed between 2002 and 2012. Around 1,300 pupils affected.
- Private school Act which Westerdals were subject before 2012 limited tuition to a maximum of 25 percent of the state subsidy rate. In 2010 corresponded to 25 percent of this rate 27,500 crowns. Students paid an average of 56.600 million this year.
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The charges revolves around NOK 34.8 million in state aid that school got to drive three courses that lacked approval. The conditions took place between 2002 and 2012.
ØKOKRIM conducted searchings Tuesday.
– Norwegian authorities have raided a number of different places and questioned a number of witnesses. So it will be to assess whether there are more places we shall obtain evidence from and if there are more witnesses we shall examine. So there will be a review of the paper claim and data seizures, says chief public prosecutor Trude Stanghelle in ØKOKRIM to DN.
The school’s press officer Vibecke Osfoss informs DN that Norwegian authorities were on two of Westerdals’ campus in Oslo, Vulkan and Vaterland, Thursday . She describes it as undramatic.
School company is charged with
According Westerdals’ lawyer Henning Harborg law firm Thommessen is the company Westerdals Oslo ACT which is charged with aggravated fraud.
– There is no single person who is charged so far as we know, says Harborg to DN.
former students have notified million claim against, among others, own and former manager at Westerdals, Nicolai Løvenskiold.
Stanghelle in ØKOKRIM can not yet rule out that individuals can also be charged in the case.
– we are early in the investigation and we shall clarify the fact. we can not generally rule out that the investigation will be extended, she says to DN.
the company risks a corporate penalty, ie a fine. If individuals being prosecuted is the maximum sentence for aggravated fraud imprisonment of up to six years.
Reported pupils error
Ministry Reviewed school Prosecutor in March.
– it’s very seldom Ministry goes to the police in such cases, but here it is my opinion that it is appropriate to ask Norwegian authorities look into this serious matter. Westerdals has been incorrectly paid out state aid over a long time, based on incorrect information, said Minister Torbjørn Røe Isaksen (H) to DN.
Last year, autumn revealed DN that then Westerdals School of Communication received state aid to operate a movie – and television line for years, although this lacked approval.
Read DN documentary here: to sourced skolebaronene out 100 million. despite the dividend ban (DN +)
the state paid millions each year because students were reported to the authorities as students at the approved copywriter line.
as DN wrote in March, the new management at Westerdals Oslo ACT investigated itself and found that two additional lines were operated in the same way as film and television studies.
extentions studies «Studio 3D” and “scenography and event” was not approved, but received state aid for years because students were reported as learners the approved art direction line.
Read also: Demanded too much for ten years (DN +)
in addition to report the crime requires the Ministry reimbursed totaling NOK 56 million of school.
This is the sum of 35 million school should have received in state aid to operate the three unapproved lines, and 21 million of financial support students received from the Loan Fund.
See also: to wondered Westerdals for support from the Loan Fund – with correction fluid
the conditions surrounding the financial support from the Loan Fund for students in the three studies are not included in the indictment .
– we do not exclude that we’re going to look at it too. When to clarify the fact that hanging the two conditions closely. What we are doing now is simply to bring the fact is clear to see what has happened and we will consider whether there has been a punishable offense, said Stanghelle in ØKOKRIM.
“The new management at Westerdals Oslo ACT has been keen to find out the actual conditions and has undertaken an internal review of operations at WSoC in the current period. The results of the internal review shared college with the Ministry of Education. Following this we were informed that the Ministry reported actions to Norwegian authorities. Westerdals Oslo ACT is committed to working actively with the Public Prosecutor in the further process, “according to a press release from the school.
Pupils requiring million replacement
Westerdals have trouble on several sides. In the period 2002 to 2012 the school took more tuition fees from students than regulations allowed.
Several hundred students have so far rejected the school’s settlement offer and prepares million lawsuit, which DN discussed Monday.
See also: Hundreds of students say no to Westerdals settlement
Around 1,300 former pupils promoted initially claimed over 110 million.
the school has offered to pay back NOK 50 million and has given pupils deadline Thursday this week.
Rector Tine Widerøe stated to DN Monday that “several hundred” ex-students have accepted the settlement offer, which involves 40-60000 money refunded for most who went three years at school. But hundreds have also rejected the offer.
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