AI-faked volunteer slips into Swedish prime minister’s estate, raising alarm over security breach
A journalist volunteered at the estate of the wife of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson after signing up under a false identity and using an AI-generated photo.
This is reported by the Swedish outlet Aftonbladet.
Aftonbladet reporter Lisa Röstlund exposed weaknesses in the prime minister’s security system by gaining access to volunteer work at the Vängården Fållökna estate, which belongs to his wife, Birgitta Ed.
It is noted that the First Lady invites volunteers to help renovate the property, offering in return access to an “influential network.”
For her application, the journalist used a fake name and a personal photo altered with artificial intelligence. She received approval from the estate almost immediately.
Upon arrival at Vängården Fållökna, she encountered officers from the Swedish Security Service (Säpo), who did not check her documents or belongings. This allowed the journalist to bring a recording device into the building.
Once inside the estate, Röstlund was able to spend an entire day in the presence of the Prime Minister and his wife. The First Lady of Sweden even showed her into a private bedroom and left her there alone for several minutes.
During her visit, the reporter also overheard non-public information about the daily routines of the Prime Minister and his family, as well as details related to their security.
Wilhelm Agrell, professor emeritus of intelligence analysis at Lund University, said the situation demonstrates a catastrophic failure in the protection of Sweden’s head of government.
“You are exposed to a whole range of risks. It becomes very easy to get inside, approach key individuals, and operate freely for several hours. You could install surveillance equipment… place other devices, a bomb or anything like that. Or, if you wanted to reconnoiter the entire area, the building and everything else for a future intrusion… the entire security setup is fundamentally compromised,” the expert said.
The Swedish Security Service declined to provide detailed comments, stating that they are responsible for protecting the prime minister personally, not the property itself.
“The Security Service is responsible for the personal protection of the prime minister, but not for securing the relevant property. When the prime minister visits places we do not protect, we naturally take that into account in our work,” a Säpo spokesperson said.
In January, Lithuanian police opened an investigation into unlawful entry into the building of the Ministry of Culture in Vilnius.
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