7 Whistleblower Cases in Denmark
From the past 10 years, across different industries. Highlighting the importance of whistleblowing systems and the EU Whistleblower Directive. Ordered by year.
2014
Case: The sale of DONG to Goldman Sachs
Industry: Energy Sector
Report type: External
Company Size: 1000+
Description: The case involved the partial privatisation of DONG Energy (now Ørsted) when Goldman Sachs acquired a significant stake in the company. Whistleblowers revealed internal concerns about the undervaluation of the company’s assets in the deal, which led to public outrage and political fallout. The deal was seen as favouring Goldman Sachs at the expense of Danish taxpayers.
Outcome: The revelations caused a major political crisis, leading to the resignation of the Socialist People’s Party from the coalition government. It also fuelled a broader debate about privatisation and foreign ownership of key national assets.
2015
Case: Danish Tax Authority Dividend Fraud
Industry: Public Sector
Report type: External
Company Size: 1000+
Description: Over three years, from 2012-2015, SKAT (Danish tax authority) was tricked into paying out DKK 12.7 billion in what is now known as the "Cum-Ex"-scandal. Denmark was not the only victim, and due to whistleblowers across Europe, Correctiv (German investigative journalism newsroom) could bring the "Cum-Ex"-scandal story.
Outcome: The scandal led to the dismissal of several top officials at SKAT, but also significant changes in the management of Denmark's tax system and how to bulletproof the system for the future. The case is still ongoing and is one of the biggest public finance scandals in Danish history.
2018
Case: Danske Bank Money Laundering Scandal
Industry: Banking
Report type: Internal, then external
Company Size: 1000+
Description: A former employee of Danske Bank exposed a massive money laundering operation that took place through the bank's Estonian branch. An estimated €200 billion in suspicious transactions flowed through the branch, much of it allegedly involving Russian and former Soviet Union funds. This was one of the biggest financial scandals in Europe, with internal reports and later public whistleblowing playing a key role in uncovering the issue.
Outcome: Major political and regulatory fallout in Denmark and across Europe. It resulted in leadership changes at Danske Bank and significant legal and regulatory scrutiny.
2019
Case: Akademikernes A-kasse: Misuse of members' money
Industry: Trade union
Report type: Internal
Company Size: 250+
Description: A whistleblower in the company reported about how the money of the members was used for expensive wine parties, favours for friends and incapacity in "Akademikernes A-kasse."
Outcome: An internal case that ended with the employer reporting the whistleblower to the Danish Data Protection Agency for inappropriate access to emails that led to the disclosure. The case was active before the EU Whistleblower Protection Directive was adopted, however Veron, a Danish whistleblower organisation, became involved and publicly supported the whistleblower. Ultimately, the whistleblower was praised for uncovering the story.
2020
Case: Bach Group and Njals Tower
Industry: Building
Report type: Internal, then external
Company Size: 1000+
Description: Whistleblowing by an employee in the company regarding fraud with the documentation of concrete-quality used for the foundation. The case was handed over to the police as a result.
Outcome: A lengthy dispute about the building and pending rebuild of the foundation for the apartment. (Ongoing case)
2023
Case: Demant Interacoustics
Industry: Health Technology
Report type: Internal
Company Size: 250+
Description: The case erupts when a manager, on a business management trip in Thailand, internally reports on the toxic work environment in the company. He does it by openly critiquing the upper management through the company mail.
Outcome: The case led to an external investigation of the work environment. Three managers were let go as a result.
2024
Case: Chief psychiatric consultant failed to comply with industry standards
Industry: Healthcare
Report type: Internal, whistleblower-system
Company Size: 1000+
Description: ‘We were given 13 specific patient records, which we reviewed and realised that the treatment was below the professional standard that should be followed.’ The hospital management became aware of the case when they received an enquiry through the region's whistleblower scheme, explains the hospital director for psychiatry in the Central Jutland Region.
Outcome: "Region Midtjylland", one of Denmarks' five administrative entities, read through the report and concluded that the doctor had acted below professional standards. "Therefore, we discharged the doctor shortly afterwards, and he has since resigned." - Tine Ebler, Hospital director for psychiatry in the Central Jutland Region.
Increase in whistleblower reports and awareness
The Danish National Whistleblower-scheme has done some analysis of their own system and compared it to previous year.
A new report on the number of reports in 2023 shows that the number of reports was 149, which is an increase of 28% compared to the previous year.
"Of the 147 reports finalised in 2023, in 48 cases the National Whistleblower Scheme found grounds to pass on information about one or more issues in the reports for further action by relevant authorities, including two cases to the police. This corresponded to 33% of the finalised reports in 2023 and was an increase compared to 2022, when 26% of the cases were disclosed." - Danish National Whistleblower Scheme in Numbers (in Danish)
Sources: TV Midtvest , Finans, MedWatch, TV2, DR, DM.dk