Danish police are now investigating the bankrupt care organization Fonden Semai after new revelations from the TV2 documentary series Operation X suggested that public funds might have been funneled out of the company for private gain.
Police Open Investigation into Fonden Semai
In February 2025, Fonden Semai, which operated several care homes for vulnerable children and youth in Northern Denmark, abruptly went bankrupt, forcing 60 young residents to leave their homes within a single day. The foundation’s trustee has since reported the case to the police, who confirm that an official investigation is underway.
Fonden Semai managed publicly funded housing projects and received millions of kroner annually from municipalities. However, according to the trustee and several financial experts, the foundation’s activities may have violated legal and ethical standards.
Suspicious Ties Between Semai and Ekkofonden
The new Operation X episode “Bostedsbaronens pengemaskine” uncovered extensive business dealings between Fonden Semai and another entity, Ekkofonden, a commercial foundation founded by businessman Thomas Kudahl. The two organizations traded heavily in rental properties, vehicles, and consulting services.
In 2023, Kudahl joined the board of Fonden Semai and later became its chairman while remaining director of Ekkofonden, the very company that sold services to the foundation. This dual role raised serious conflict-of-interest concerns.
Overpriced Cars and Costly Consulting
Records show that Fonden Semai leased 35 vehicles from Ekkofonden at prices far above market value. For example, the foundation paid nearly 9,000 Danish kroner per month for a standard Peugeot 208. Experts described the arrangement as a clear overpricing that benefited Ekkofonden at taxpayers’ expense. The car leasing investigation was earlier documented in a previous TV2 report.
Beyond cars, Semai also entered into million-kroner consulting agreements with Ekkofonden for vaguely defined services. Experts who reviewed the contracts said they lacked clarity about what services were actually delivered, suggesting the deals offered little real value.
New Private Company Raises Red Flags
In 2024, Fonden Semai also signed contracts with a new company called Ekko Udvikling ApS, officially unrelated to Ekkofonden but located at the same address and run by Ekkofonden’s own finance director, Thomas Bunde. The contracts, worth more than three million kroner, mirrored earlier Ekkofonden agreements almost word for word.
Consultants believe Ekko Udvikling was effectively a vehicle to move public funds into private hands since, unlike Ekkofonden, it was a privately owned company able to distribute profits to its owners.
Denials from Leadership
Fonden Semai’s former director, Mathias Caland, has denied all wrongdoing. In a written statement, he insisted that all agreements with Ekkofonden and its affiliated companies delivered real value and that he never personally profited from any of them. Similarly, a representative for Ekkofonden stated that the foundation had followed all rules and that the criticism was based on misleading or unfounded claims.
Despite those denials, financial specialists maintain that Semai’s transactions display a pattern of questionable practices. Some believe the structure operated as a network designed to channel taxpayer money away from the intended care of vulnerable youth.
Oversight Authorities React
Socialtilsyn Midt, Denmark’s regional supervision agency for social care institutions, has since said that if it had been aware of the full extent of Semai’s financial relationship with Ekkofonden, it would have closed the foundation earlier. The agency only received partial information, mainly about property leases, and was never informed about the vehicle rentals or the consulting contracts.
As the investigation unfolds, the case is reigniting debates in Denmark about private profit in publicly funded care institutions and how closely government agencies should monitor their finances.
Sources and References
TV2: Politiet efterforsker konkursramt bosted fra ‘Operation X’
TV2 Operation X
Operation X: Bostedsbaronens pengemaskine – TV2 Play
TV2: Bosted lejede biler til grov overpris
