Money or sex, how the fraud scheme worked with the “Albanians' ” to enter Italy

Following co-operation in Albanian law enforcement bodies with the Italian father, the arrest of persons -- among them doctors and nurses -- from Albania and Italy, while 82 Albanian citizens are under investigation.

During the action, more than 500,000 euros have been seized from the suspects' bank accounts and drugs with narcotics content worth 20,000 euros.

But how the fraud worked for free treatment of Albanian citizens in Italy

In collaboration with each other Albanian and Italian doctors, through a forged documentation and serious illness (deception) made it possible to enter Italy of Albanian citizens, claiming that they needed urgent more specialized assistance.

At first, the request was made by Albanian doctors who sent the name of “to Italy along with the diagnosis, and immediately it was the response of Italian doctors who gave “Ok” for citizens to open green light to cross the border.

All of this was done through the benefit of money or the sexual services that Albanian and Italian doctors received from “patient”, as the latter just crossed the border followed his life.

Full statement by SPAK:

Supported by Eurojust, judicial and law enforcement authorities in Italy and Albania have dismantled a criminal network that allegedly committed fraud against the Italian national health system, corruption and drug trafficking. During a day of action, nine suspects have been arrested. More than 500,000 euros were seized from suspects' bank accounts and drugs with narcotics content worth 20,000 euros.

The Organised Criminal Group allegedly operated between Milan province, Italy, and Albania. With the cooperation of doctors and nurses working in Italian hospitals. The organised criminal group offered Albanian citizens a series of expensive and unnecessary medical services that would allow illegal entry into Italy.

The investigation documented the issuance of false medical certificates proving the need for Albanian citizens for life-saving urgent medical treatment in Italy, which allowed them to enter the country and receive medical and pharmaceutical services contrary to the law. The corrupt doctors are suspected of cooperating with the organized criminal group in exchange for money or sexual services.

Members of the organised criminal group are also suspected of being involved in trafficking narcotic drugs, which have been illegally acquired by the Italian national health system and sold in Albania. Some of these narcotic drugs were used to treat patients with COVID-19, which were highly sought during pandemic.

The investigation found irregular registration into the Italian national health system of at least 82 Albanian citizens between January 2020 and June 2021. These patients have received at least 383 ambulance services and 1,554 specialised visits, hospital stays and prescriptions contrary to the law.

Eurojust backed authorities in Italy and Albania with the establishment and financing of a joint investigative team (SPH) in March 2022. Two co-ordination meetings from the Eurojust were also organised to facilitate judicial co-operation and provide support for co-ordinating the investigation.

During the joint action on June 10th, 6 (six) suspects were arrested in Italy and more than 500,000 euros were seized from bank accounts and drugs with narcotics content of suspects worth 20,000 euros.

Today on June 10th, 2022, the Special Prosecutor for Corruption and Organised Crime Co-operation with the General Directorate of State Police, with the presence of Italian Police Officers, in the process of the First Case for Corruption and Organised Crime Act, have conducted 11 (11) checks in apartment offices, state offices (QSUT) and commercial subjects. Medical documents in the language are found and seized in the quality of evidence