Swede jailed for torching own luxury villa

Magnus Lundberg, the boyfriend of Swedish celebrity doctor Åsa Vilbäck, was sentenced Tuesday to four years in prison for burning down a luxury villa in February.

• Introducing... 'Doctor' Åsa Vilbäck (11 Jun 12)

The Stockholm mansion, which Lundberg himself had bought for 19 million kronor ($2.7 million) in late February, was destroyed in a ferocious blaze, and police first arrested Lundberg on suspicion of arson three months ago.

Lundberg continually denied the allegations that he had torched his own house, but the evidence piled up against him.

The Attunda District Court decided Tuesday that Lundberg was indeed guilty and sentenced him to prison for arson, as well as fraud and receiving stolen goods.

Among the evidence was a surveillance video of Lundberg buying large containers of lighter fluid from a store only days before the blaze, which forensic investigators revealed was the same type used in the fire.

Lundberg claimed in court that the lighter fluid was bought with the intention of burning weeds in his garden.

The GPS of his car also showed that he was in the area at the time, which Lundberg claimed was the result of someone borrowing his car.

According to Aftonbladet, the motive for the crime may be that his plans to renovate the house had not been approved, and he wanted to get his deposit back.

The case had received widespread media attention in national media as Lundberg’s girlfriend Åsa Vilbäck is a Swedish celebrity, TV host and ex-pin up model.

The house had previously belonged to the late Harry Schein who founded the Swedish Film Institute.

TT/The Local/og
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