Enlarge image
Corona test station (symbol image)
Photo: Sven Simon / IMAGO
They are said to have reported fantasy figures to the authorities and wrongly received a lot of money for it: The Bochum public prosecutor has brought charges against two men for fraud in corona test centers.
As the authority announced, incorrect billing should have caused damage of at least 25 million euros.
The alleged accounting fraud had become public in May of this year;
Research by NDR, WDR and »Süddeutsche Zeitung« had brought up the case.
The reporters had counted customers in front of the MediCan centers - much fewer than had been brought to the account.
For example, the company billed 422 tests on a bridge day for a location in Münster.
The research team was on site all day and only counted around a hundred test persons.
According to the public prosecutor's office, between March and April, the managing director "billed a multiple of the tests actually carried out, after he was supposed to have recognized that, due to the pandemic-related peculiarities, there was no immediate need for proof of the actual performance of the tests."
The second accused is said to have billed the individual tests at a higher price than justified, among other things.
"He is also said to have reported material costs in an amount that should not actually have arisen." He is charged with aiding and abetting fraud.
fdi / dpa