She Stole $17 Million to Join the Rich, and Then Reality Hit
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After years of financial hardship, she craved a life of luxury. Her remedy was to embezzle $17 million from the Danish state.
Britta Nielsen, a 65-year-old former social worker, has stunned a country that’s used to topping anti-corruption rankings. Through 25 years of accounting fraud right under the noses of her bosses, she managed to channel funds meant for Denmark’s weakest citizens over to a private account. She then transformed herself into a member of a jet-set elite with access to every extravagance. She bought expensive horses for her daughter and multiple lavish properties, including a ranch in South Africa. It was there that Nielsen was finally caught.