Mullvad Owner Controversy: Daniel Berntsson's 5 Million SEK Donation Explained
What happened, what Mullvad said, and what VPN users should take from it
The Mullvad owner controversy is not a reported VPN logging scandal or security breach. It is an ownership and trust controversy after reports that Daniel Berntsson, a Mullvad VPN co-founder and co-owner, made a personal donation of 5 million SEK to Örebropartiet, a Swedish political party that has attracted criticism for positions including large-scale “remigration”.
Mullvad has presented the donation as a private act by Berntsson, not a donation by Mullvad VPN AB, its parent company Amagicom AB, or related company Tillitis AB. The difficult question for users is whether a VPN provider's technical privacy record can be assessed separately from the personal political spending of one of its owners.
Personal political donation
Reporting says Daniel Berntsson donated 5 million SEK from personal funds to Örebropartiet. The disclosure triggered backlash among some VPN users and privacy advocates.
Not a breach report
The current controversy does not point to evidence of Mullvad keeping logs, suffering a breach, or changing its technical privacy protections.
What Happened?
In late June 2026, Swedish outlet Flamman reported that Daniel Berntsson, one of Mullvad's founders and owners, was behind a 5 million SEK donation to Örebropartiet. TechRadar later reported on the backlash and said the donation accounted for roughly 72% of the party's 2025 income.
Berntsson reportedly framed the donation as personal support linked to the party's anti-corruption message. Critics focused on the party's wider political profile, including reported support for major “remigration” policies, and questioned whether Mullvad customers were indirectly enriching an owner whose political spending they strongly oppose.
| Question | Answer | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Who made the donation? | Daniel Berntsson, reported as a Mullvad co-founder and co-owner. | Ownership affects trust, even when the company itself is not accused of donating. |
| How much was reported? | 5 million Swedish kronor. | The size of the donation made the story prominent in privacy and VPN communities. |
| Was Mullvad VPN accused of donating? | Mullvad and co-CEO Fredrik Strömberg described it as Berntsson's private donation. | This separates company action from owner action, but not every user will find that distinction sufficient. |
| Is it a technical privacy incident? | No current reporting points to a logging breach or app security failure. | Users should avoid confusing an ethics controversy with evidence of VPN logging. |
Who Owns Mullvad VPN?
Mullvad says the VPN service is operated by Mullvad VPN AB and owned by parent company Amagicom AB. Mullvad's own “About” page says Mullvad VPN AB and Amagicom AB are owned by founders Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson, who remain actively involved in the company.
Mullvad's owner directive also states that Berntsson and Strömberg continue to own 50% each of the shares. That ownership structure is why the donation became a VPN industry story rather than only a Swedish political finance story.
Daniel Berntsson
Berntsson is one of Mullvad's founders and owners. The controversy centres on his reported personal political donation, not on a reported operational change to Mullvad's VPN service.
Fredrik Strömberg
Strömberg is Mullvad's other founder and co-owner. In public comments reported by TechRadar, he distanced the company from the donation and said he personally disliked it.
What Did Mullvad Say in Response?
Mullvad's response has been to draw a line between the private political views and spending of an individual owner and the company's mission. TechRadar reported that Strömberg said neither Mullvad VPN AB, Amagicom AB nor Tillitis AB had any role in supporting the political party.
Mullvad has also argued that its core position remains universal privacy, freedom of speech and freedom of information. The company said it would refund customers who choose to cancel because they do not want to support Mullvad after learning about the donation.
- 2025: The donation was reportedly made to Örebropartiet during the 2025 reporting year.
- Late June 2026: Swedish reporting connected the donation to Daniel Berntsson, a Mullvad co-founder and co-owner.
- 29 June 2026: TechRadar reported on Mullvad's reaction, user backlash, and Strömberg's comments distancing the company from the donation.
- 1 July 2026: This article was published to explain the controversy for VPN users.
Why This Matters for VPN Users
VPN trust is not only technical. A provider can have strong apps, a good no-logs posture and sensible security design, while users still worry about ownership, incentives and where profits ultimately go. That is why this story has been especially sensitive in privacy communities.
For some users, the key question is simple: does paying for Mullvad indirectly benefit an owner whose personal political spending they object to? For others, the key question is whether Mullvad's technical privacy protections, transparency and track record remain intact. Both concerns are valid, but they are different concerns.
Reasons users are concerned
- One co-owner may personally benefit from company profits.
- VPN users often treat ownership values as part of trust.
- The donation was large enough to affect public perception.
- The party's reported positions are objectionable to many users.
Reasons to keep the issue separate
- The donation is reported as personal, not corporate.
- There is no current evidence of a Mullvad logging breach.
- Mullvad's privacy mission has not been formally changed.
- Security claims should still be judged on evidence and audits.
Is Mullvad Still Safe to Use?
This controversy does not, by itself, prove that Mullvad is unsafe. The available reporting is about a co-owner's personal political donation. It is not about Mullvad changing its no-logs policy, handing over browsing histories, weakening encryption, or suffering a technical compromise.
That said, privacy services depend heavily on trust. If your trust model includes ownership ethics, political neutrality or concern over how subscription revenue may enrich individual owners, then this controversy is relevant to your buying decision even without a technical security failure.
What Should Mullvad Users Do Now?
Users do not need to panic-change VPNs because of this story alone. A better response is to separate the decision into two parts: technical security and personal trust. If Mullvad still meets your technical requirements, you can continue using it while monitoring the company's public statements and checking the technical evidence in our Mullvad VPN review. If the ownership issue is a deal-breaker, compare alternative VPNs and make sure the replacement has strong privacy controls rather than switching purely out of anger.
Stay with Mullvad if...
- You assess VPNs mainly on technical privacy evidence.
- You accept Mullvad's distinction between company values and a private donation.
- You have not found a better provider that matches your threat model.
Consider switching if...
- You treat owner values as central to VPN trust.
- You do not want any subscription money to benefit Berntsson indirectly.
- You prefer a provider with a different ownership structure or clearer governance.
Sources Used for This Update
This article relies on a mix of original reporting, Mullvad's own ownership pages and later coverage of Mullvad's response. Because the story is political and fast-moving, readers should check the source links for any later corrections or company statements.
Mullvad Owner Controversy FAQs
What is the Mullvad owner controversy?
The controversy concerns reports that Daniel Berntsson, a Mullvad VPN co-founder and co-owner, made a personal 5 million SEK donation to Örebropartiet. The disclosure caused backlash because of the party's reported political positions and because VPN users often treat ownership as part of provider trust.
Who owns Mullvad VPN?
Mullvad says Mullvad VPN AB is owned by parent company Amagicom AB, and that Amagicom AB is owned by founders Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson. Mullvad's owner directive states that the founders continue to own 50% each of the shares. For a fuller ownership breakdown, see our Who owns Mullvad VPN? guide.
Did Mullvad VPN make the political donation?
Mullvad and co-CEO Fredrik Strömberg have framed the donation as Berntsson's private act, not as support from Mullvad VPN AB, Amagicom AB or Tillitis AB.
Is this a Mullvad logging scandal?
No. Current reporting does not present evidence of a Mullvad logging scandal, data breach, encryption failure or privacy-policy change. It is primarily an ownership, ethics and user-trust controversy.
Should I stop using Mullvad?
That depends on your threat model and values. If you judge VPNs mostly on technical privacy controls, this story does not automatically make Mullvad unsafe. If ownership ethics are central to your trust in a VPN provider, it is reasonable to compare alternatives or ask Mullvad for a refund.