A 48-year-old businessman in Geneva has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence for making a fraudulent claim for a Covid loan that was 100 times the correct amount. He was found guilty of fraud and forgery of documents.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/ts
“You expressly deceived the authorities in connection with the coronavirus pandemic,” the judge at Geneva Criminal Court said on Friday. “Your motive, the desire for profit, is selfish.”
The court set the probation period at five years. The man admitted to the acts, according to the court, but played down his responsibility.
In spring 2020 the operator of a hairdressing salon filled in the form for credit applications so the business could survive the crisis. He then declared a turnover of CHF4.7 million ($4.7 million) – 100 times more than in reality.
“I made a mistake,” explained the Italo-Macedonian, who came to Switzerland at the age of 14 without being able to complete compulsory schooling. “I don’t know anything about computers,” he argued.
More
More
Covid loan claims fuel rise in suspected fraud cases
This content was published on
The number of reported suspicious financial transactions continued to rise in Switzerland in 2021.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Italian mafia milks Swiss Covid funds for expansion
This content was published on
“We can see that the money allocated to companies as Covid loans very quickly goes abroad,” says Nicoletta della Valle, director of the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol). “It is the banks that report these observations to us.” To date, Fedpol’s Money Laundering Reporting Office (MROS) estimates that at least CHF180 million ($199 million) has been stolen from government loans issued to offset the financial damage of the…
Pandemic boosts reports of suspected money laundering
This content was published on
Reports to Switzerland’s Money Laundering Reporting Office (MROS) rose 25% last year, with many of them related to Covid credits.
Swiss investigation launched into alleged ‘Covid credit’ fraud
This content was published on
Prosecutors have opened an investigation into cases of suspected fraud linked to financial aid given to Swiss firms hit by the coronavirus.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.