Pandemic fraud Swiss entrepreneur allegedly scammed millions with fictitious coronavirus tests
A Swiss businessman is suspected of pocketing millions for coronavirus tests that were never carried out during the pandemic. The Zurich public prosecutor's office is now investigating.
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- During the coronavirus pandemic, a Swiss businessman is alleged to have pocketed tens of millions of euros for hundreds of thousands of coronavirus tests that apparently never took place.
- There are suspicions of fraud, forgery of documents and money laundering - the Zurich public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation.
- The federal government paid over CHF 2.6 billion for coronavirus tests up to the end of 2022.
During the coronavirus pandemic, a Swiss businessman is said to have pocketed tens of millions for hundreds of thousands of coronavirus tests that apparently never took place. As Tamedia reported on Thursday, there is suspicion of fraud, forgery of documents and money laundering, which is why the Zurich public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation.
The suspect had organized a factoring system with which he was able to buy test lists from screening centers in order to claim the promised remuneration from the health insurance companies. However, the insurers found out that the majority of the tests billed were not carried out, as Tamedia learned from an internal paper of a health insurance company.
According to the newspapers, the company denies all allegations. The case is apparently one of the largest currently being investigated by a task force of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).
The federal government paid over CHF 2.6 billion for coronavirus tests up to the end of 2022.