Police officer, medical worker suspected of Covid-19 vaccination forgery

The Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office has started an investigation into a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate scheme organized by a police officer and a medical worker, according to a Dec. 10 announcement.

Law enforcement suspects the Kyiv-based duo of entering false information about vaccination into the Helsi electronic system, which then ended up displayed as fake vaccination certificates in the government app Diia that tracks vaccination.

Ukraine has a booming market of fraudulent vaccination certificates. As of late October, the police have opened more than 800 criminal probes into such forgeries.

According to the prosecutors, the alleged fraudsters charged Hr 4,000-5,000 ($148-185) per fake data entry. A list of more than 200 presumable customers found during the search suggests that the duo might have earned as much as Hr 1 million ($37,000) using the scheme.

Law enforcement also found and confiscated fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates, cash, and jewelry.

On Dec. 2, the Security Service of Ukraine uncovered massive forgery of Covid-19 documents in western Chernivtsi Oblast. According to the investigation, the group of 11 people produced about 1,000 fake certificates a month.

On Nov. 26, the police shut down fraudulent Covid-19 documents operation and arrested five people in western Zakarpattia Oblast.