In a high-impact cross-border operation, Europol has dismantled a criminal network responsible for a massive €6.7 million healthcare subsidy fraud targeting France’s public health insurance system. The fraudsters didn’t need hacking tools or ransomware – just fake diplomas, stolen patient data, and bogus companies to tap into one of Europe’s most trusted healthcare systems.
“The fraud scheme centred on fraudulent reimbursements for hearing aids exploiting France’s public health insurance system,” Europol revealed.
The operation began in July 2024, when fraudsters established fictitious hearing aid businesses using forged diplomas to gain legal accreditation. With access to stolen patient records, they billed France’s national health insurance for hearing aids that were never prescribed, never delivered, and never existed.
“Armed with stolen patient details, they issued false invoices, leading to EUR 6.7 million in fraudulent reimbursements.”
But it didn’t stop at medical fraud. The criminals used dozens of shell companies across Europe to launder the stolen funds, creating a complex paper trail of illicit transactions across borders.
On 10 March 2025, the French Gendarmerie Nationale launched a coordinated takedown:
- 8 suspects arrested
- Searches at homes, a doctor’s residence, and a medical center
- €195,000 seized, including €111,000 from bank accounts
- Luxury items and electronics confiscated
With actionable intelligence from France, German authorities moved swiftly to cut off the money pipeline. On 17 March, a coordinated raid targeted a major company suspected of laundering the fraud proceeds.
“German law enforcement, supported by French investigators from the Gendarmerie and Europol, carried out a large-scale action against a major company suspected of funnelling illicit funds.”
Over 100 officers executed search warrants at:
- The company’s headquarters
- An accountancy firm
- A warehouse
- Multiple residences of key figures
The results were staggering:
- Real estate assets seized
- 73 high-end vehicles confiscated
- €260,000 in cash recovered
This case exposes how cyber-enabled fraud and social engineering can weaponize legitimate health infrastructure. It highlights the critical need for better verification systems, secure patient data management, and cross-border law enforcement collaboration.
As Europol emphasized: “An international law enforcement operation coordinated by Europol has dismantled a criminal network behind a large-scale healthcare subsidy fraud in France and the laundering of its illicit proceeds in Germany.”
