Hundreds of fake digital vaccination cards: police arrest fraudsters in Munich

For months, criminals forged digital vaccination cards in Munich.

Now the trap struck.

Four suspects could be arrested.

Munich - The investigators speak of a size that is unique in Germany and of "above-average importance".

The police in Munich * have succeeded in bringing down a gang of forgers.

She is said to have forged hundreds of digital vaccination certificates and sold them on the Internet.

The officials secured cash and cryptocurrency in the six-digit range.

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Fake, digital vaccination cards: 350 euros for a fake code

The trap snapped shut on Friday, writes the BR.

Officials of the Munich police * have taken down a gang of fraudsters who had sold hundreds of fake digital vaccination cards on the Darknet.

Four suspects were arrested.

As early as August, investigators at the Federal Criminal Police Office became aware of an unknown person who had offered QR codes for forged vaccination cards in a German-speaking cybercrime forum.

The fake codes went over the virtual counter for 350 euros.

In October alone, 500 false vaccination certificates are said to have been issued.

The procedure is headed by the Bavarian Central Office for Combating Fraud and Corruption in the Health Care System at the General Public Prosecutor's Office in Nuremberg.

There it was also confirmed to the BR that no proof of a real vaccination had to be presented in order to create a digital vaccination pass.

The QR codes went, among other things, to other EU countries.

However, it cannot be ruled out that numerous forged evidence is also in circulation in Germany.

Fake vaccination cards: the trail leads to a pharmacy in Munich

During their investigation, the officers came across a computer in Munich. Equipped with a search warrant, police officers from the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office and the Federal Criminal Police Office turned a pharmacy in Munich-Schwabing * and the homes of several suspects upside down. According to the BR, the public prosecutor's office was able to secure evidence (including electronic ones).

It turned out that an employee of the pharmacy and three other people had their fingers involved in the fakes.

According to the authority, the owner of the pharmacy was not involved in the matter.

Arrest warrants have now been issued against the employee, as well as against two other suspects and an accomplice.

There is a risk of escape and blackout.

In addition to the evidence, the officials were also able to secure cryptocurrencies and cash in the amount of around 100,000 euros.

List of rubric lists: © Jörg Carstensen / dpa