Lithuanian executive sentenced to prison in Norway for wage theft

V. Stončius, the former head of "Vlantana Norge," a Norwegian subsidiary of the Lithuanian logistics firm "Vlantana," has been sentenced to eight months in prison in Norway. The company declared bankruptcy in April 2020 after it was revealed that foreign drivers were systematically paid significantly less than legally required.

Fifty-two drivers initiated legal action to recover unpaid wages. They were entitled to at least the minimum wage stipulated by the collective agreement for the freight transport sector, a standard practice in Norway. The court initially ordered Stončius to pay the drivers a total of 13.4 million Norwegian kroner (approximately 1.23 million euros) plus interest for delayed payments.

However, Stončius's legal troubles did not end there. Norwegian prosecutors charged him last year with violating the country's labor laws and regulations that make collective bargaining wage agreements mandatory for all employers in certain sectors. The trial took place this winter, with the prosecution seeking a 15-month prison sentence for Stončius and a five-month sentence for his accomplice, Ovidijus Grigalavičius.

The court found that Stončius was aware of the legal requirement to pay the universally applicable minimum wage and understood how drivers' wages were being reduced. Evidence indicated that drivers were officially employed part-time, despite working significantly more hours. The court determined that Stončius should have received a 13-month sentence, but it was reduced by five months due to the lengthy proceedings. His accomplice, O. Grigalavičius, also had his sentence reduced to 120 days from an initial six months for similar reasons. The court also addressed 39 civil claims from drivers seeking unpaid wages, interest, insufficient unemployment benefits, and legal costs, rejecting the defense's arguments against these claims.