On May 16, 2025, Swedish media were shocked by the news of the death of an unnamed diplomat who was arrested in Stockholm on Sunday, May 11, on suspicion of espionage and released on Wednesday, May 14. According to Svenska Dagbladet, citing police, the diplomat's body was discovered on the night of Friday, May 16. The Swedish Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of its employee, stating: "Unfortunately, we can confirm the death of one of our diplomatic service employees." However, the ministry refused to disclose the name of the deceased or details of the incident, citing concern for the deceased's family.

According to SVT, the man arrested was a senior diplomat who had worked at several Swedish embassies abroad. The arrest was carried out by the Swedish Security Service (Säpo) as part of an operation launched in early May. The suspected espionage concerns activities carried out in Stockholm between 1 and 11 May 2025. As Expressen reports, a search of the diplomat's apartment in the city centre revealed no direct evidence, allowing him to be released from custody, although he remains under investigation. The prosecutor's office and Säpo have declined to comment, and the police have launched an internal investigation into the circumstances of the death, stating that "there is no reason to suspect a crime."