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Corona Round-Up: Close to 500 fraudulent corona compensation claims
Ben Hamilton
January 17th, 2022
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This article is more than 2 years old.
In other news, the infection and hospitalisation rates have soared of late
The opportunity was too great for some to resist (photo: peninsulapensions.org.uk)
A total of 436 companies are being investigated for corona fraud amounting to 208 million kroner.
Some 74 percent of the cases are located in Zealand, with Copenhagen (137) and the Vestegn suburbs (69) accounting for almost half.
In total, 50 billion kroner has been paid out in compensation during the pandemic – mostly to cover the wages of furloughed employees.
As of December, 5,447 reports of corona fraud had been submitted to the police, so the will is there to stop the fraud.
She went home to Romania
In some cases, the work in question should have been pandemic-proof, so questions are being asked why the scams weren’t detected earlier.
DR highlights the example of Payment Solutions Copenhagen in Rødovre, which has received 600,000 kroner to cover the salaries of nine employees in four separate payments over the last two years.
But when investigators visited its premises, there was immediate cause for concern: no sign of human life, a postbox bulging with letters, and a sofa and fridge standing in the courtyard.
It emerges it has never filed an annual report or likely conducted business at the address, that its Romanian CEO disappeared mid-2020, and that all of the compensation has been swallowed by one single private account.
In other corona news:
– Over the last two days, Statens Serum Institut has confirmed 26,169 and 28,270 new cases of corona. A further 21 people have died, and the infection rate appears to be rising. On Monday, it stood at 16.92 percent – up from 13.98 on Sunday. The hospitalisation rate also shot up – up 68 places to 802.
– Many have seen their corona passes expire today, as a double vaccination is now only valid for five months for over-18s – the same as for somebody previously infected. For under-18s and those with the booster, the pass will be valid indefinitely … for the time being.
– From today, Corona passes for those who have had a PCR test now only last for 72 hours. For fast checks, the lifespan has been cut to 48 hours.
– Rasmus Prehn, the food, agriculture and fisheries minister, has been infected with corona. Last week, Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, the culture minister, was also diagnosed.
– Venstre would like to see the treatment guarantee reintroduced at hospitals. As things stand, the guarantee will remain suspended until January 30 to ensure the hospitals aren’t overrun by corona patients.
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