Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s former national security adviser Henrik Landerholm has been convicted of negligence with classified information after forgetting secret documents in a safe deposit box at a conference facility. The Svea Court of Appeal has overturned the previous acquittal, determining that Landerholm acted with gross negligence. The penalty is a fine totaling 52,000 kronor.

The incident occurred in March 2023, when Henrik Landerholm, at the time national security adviser to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, visited the Gällöfsta conference center outside Stockholm.

He brought with him documents containing secret information, which he placed in a safe at the facility. However, when he checked out the next day, he forgot the documents, which were later discovered in the now-unlocked safe.

The incident led to a criminal investigation and charges of negligence with classified information, a crime against national security. In September 2025, Landerholm was acquitted by the Attunda District Court, which found that although he had disclosed secret information, his actions did not meet the level of gross negligence required for a conviction.

However, prosecutors appealed the decision, and on Monday the Svea Court of Appeal reached a different conclusion.

The Court of Appeal: Significant Carelessness

According to the Court of Appeal, particularly high standards must be demanded of individuals handling security-sensitive information. The court also noted Landerholm’s previous experience in high-level government positions and his then-role as national security adviser.

“Strict requirements must be placed on those who handle documents containing security-sensitive information. The only reasonable explanation for leaving the documents behind is that he was significantly careless when emptying the safe in which he stored them,” said Appeals Court Judge Håkan Sellman, and continued:

“Given, among other things, his position as national security adviser and his long experience in high-level government posts—which he himself says gave him extensive experience handling secret information—the Court of Appeal finds that he acted with gross negligence.”

Landerholm is therefore sentenced to 80 day-fines of 650 kronor each, a total of 52,000 kronor. He must also pay 1,000 kronor to the crime victims’ fund.

Several Previous Security Incidents

The widely discussed charges were preceded by several other incidents involving Landerholm’s questionable handling of sensitive items. Among other things, he had previously forgotten a mobile phone at the Hungarian Embassy and a notebook at Swedish Radio.

In January 2025, he stepped down as national security adviser after it became known that a criminal investigation was underway. Landerholm has previously explained the episode at the conference facility by saying he didn’t realize the documents were considered sensitive and that he was under significant stress at the time.

Chief Prosecutor Per Lindqvist welcomes the Court of Appeal’s decision and believes the district court erred in acquitting Landerholm.

“This is exactly the outcome we anticipated. The district court, in our opinion, clearly made an incorrect assessment, and we couldn’t imagine any other conclusion,” Lindqvist told TV4 News.

Landerholm Considers Appeal

Henrik Landerholm himself expressed disappointment with the verdict, stating that he will review the court’s reasoning with his lawyer before deciding whether to appeal.

“Today’s guilty verdict in the Svea Court of Appeal is of course a disappointment. Together with my lawyer, I will now analyze the verdict thoroughly before deciding how to proceed with the process. Until I have taken a position, I will not comment further on the verdict publicly,” Landerholm wrote in a text message to TV4.

No decision regarding a possible appeal is expected on Monday.