It was in 2015 and 2016 that the Swedish people got to know Leif-Ivan Karlsson and his family: Mrs. Susanne Karlsson and the children Tony Karlsson, Angelica Karlsson and Pierre Karlsson.
In the reality series “Bra, bättre, Karlsson”, and later “Karlssons”, which was broadcast on TV3 and Viaplay, the entrepreneur showed an exclusive lifestyle and existence, to say the least, with expensive boats and cars as well as the palatial villa “Örnberget”.
And Karlsson was not slow to highlight how he, as a millionaire, got to know the Swedish jante law.
– The Jantars are mostly pensioners and disabled pensioners. They have the most time to be jealous, he said in the program that aired in eight episodes.
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However, it was not the first time Karlsson appeared on television. He also appeared in “Swedish millionaires” which was broadcast on Kanal 5 in 2012. There he told that he himself grew up in what he then called a “sosse home” in Överkalix.
– You didn’t understand that when you were little, but I can tell you when I did. It was when dad was supposed to be there when they buried Olof Palmehe said on the show.
Leif-Ivan Karlsson. Photo: Stella Pictures Leif-Ivan Karlsson became a millionaire in real estate and cars
But how did Leif Ivan Karlsson actually become a millionaire? Yes, via both real estate and car deals.
For example, Leif-Ivan Karlsson, via the company Örnberget fætisförvaltning AB, was the owner of Sätra centrum in southern Stockholm for ten years. In 2016, he sold the property, according to The real estate world. And it is just one of many property deals Karlsson has been involved in over the years.
Leif-Ivan Karlsson owned the Sätra center for a long time. Photo: Helena Landstedt/TT
In addition, Karlsson has, for a long time, had an interest in American cars and it is by buying and selling these that he built large parts of his fortune.
In 2018, for example, he sold a Mercedes Benz 600, which was featured in the iconic 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest, for one million kroner, which NSD reported on then. Three years earlier, he opened the museum World of Classics, which exhibits cars from the 50s. In the space of a year alone, Karlsson bought 100 cars for the business, according to his own statement.
– Everything has gone very quickly, it has to so that there is enough time. It is about collector cars in low series with low miles. Personally, I love the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, then we have a complete collection of Chrysler 300 letter cars and the finest 50’s Buicks – so there’s definitely quite a bit to look at. There is so much love in these cars, I kiss all the cars goodnight every night, he added Evening paperst then.
Leif Ivan Karlsson and wife Susanne Karlsson. Photo: Stella Pictures Leif-Ivan Karlsson made millions during the refugee crisis
Leif-Ivan Karlsson also earned millions in connection with the refugee crisis, when his company Kulthammar AB opened asylum accommodations and invoiced the Migration Agency 140 million kroner, according to Expressen.
During three years, he made profits of around SEK 23 million – but according to Karlsson, it was not “worth the trouble”.
– It was thankless work. The refugees destroyed everything and were not grateful. The more they argued, broke things and caused misery, the faster they got their own apartment. They were simply being sent the wrong signals, he added the newspaper in 2017, and also added:
– I am neither politically engaged nor racist, I just happened to work with it to help the state and the refugees. But I got a lot of crap and I was called a “refugee millionaire” even though I did social good. I didn’t like that.
Leif-Ivan Karlsson. Photo: Stella Pictures Leif-Ivan Karlsson is charged in the Think Pink scandal
Since then, a lot has happened. The very latest in the series of scandals surrounding Leif-Ivan Karlsson is the so-called “Think Pink” mess, where he stands accused of serious environmental crime and serious accounting crime.
Other defendants in the tangle are, for example Bella Nilssonnowadays Fariba Vancorwho was CEO of the company, which was supposed to deal with waste management, but which is suspected of having dumped large amounts of environmentally hazardous waste illegally in nature.
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Bella Nilsson. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TTPhoto: Fredrik Sandberg/TT
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Source: TT
– We had been to Florida, me and my wife. When we landed at Arlanda, I was arrested. There were eight policemen on the spot who took me to an interrogation. It felt very strange and exaggerated, Leif-Ivan Karlsson, who denies any crime, has said The Express.
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Leif-Ivan Karlsson’s assets have been frozen
Ahead of the Think Pink trial, which began in Södertörn district court on September 2, 2024, a decision was made to so-called seizure, i.e. to freeze several of the suspects’ assets, including Leif-Ivan Karlsson’s. According to the decision, which News24 taken note of, in Karlsson’s case it is SEK 244,385,009.
“It can reasonably be feared that the suspects will avoid paying the damages that can be assumed to be awarded due to the crime by departing or by disposing of property or in some other way,” the district court wrote in its decision.
“When there is a risk that the person who owes money will get away with it or disappear with property, a court can decide on attachment, i.e. that the property is temporarily taken care of.”
Source: The Prosecutor’s Office
Namely, there are claims for damages of SEK 260 million – mainly from municipalities when, according to the prosecutor Anders Gustafssonforced to haul away the dumped waste, which among others SVT reported on.
Leif-Ivan Karlsson in Södertörn district court. Photo: Oscar Olsson/TTPhoto: Oscar Olsson/TTLeif-Ivan Karlsson’s salary and company commitment
Currently, Leif-Ivan Karlsson is listed in the aforementioned villa “Örnberget” in Tullinge. He owns only one vehicle: a 1952 Hudson Hornet Convertible.
In 2022 and 2023, he had a determined earned income of SEK 263,200 and SEK 109,200 respectively, according to documents from Tax Agency which Nyheter24 has taken notice of. During these years he had a total surplus of capital of just over SEK 9,000.
Leif-Ivan Karlsson has only one company involvement at the moment and that is in the company behind the ship Baltic Star. Photo: Stella Pictures
At the time of writing, Karlsson is active in a company: Rederi Hotell Fartyget BJ AB, which owns the scandal boat Baltic Star. Since 2020, there has been no turnover in this company and it has been making a loss during all these years.
Most recently, in December 2023, a loss of SEK 431,000 was reported. The assets in the company were estimated at the same time to amount to SEK 3,387,000.
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