up to 18 months in prison for three medical biologists convicted of tampering with tests

Three medical biologists were sentenced by the Nice Criminal Court on Monday February 20 to suspended sentences ranging from eight to 18 months’ imprisonment for having issued nearly 500 negative Covid tests in 2020, without having in fact carried out the analyzes . The court found them guilty of “endangering the lives of others” and “establishing an inaccurate attestation or certificate”.

They were initially prosecuted for forgery and use of forgery. They were also acquitted of fraud against a public body.

Professional bans also pronounced

The main defendant, a biologist pharmacist, was sentenced, in addition to his 18 months suspended prison sentence, to a fine of 15,000 euros and a ban on exercising his professional activity for three years. His father, also a pharmacist-biologist, was given an eight-month suspended sentence, a fine of 5,000 euros and a one-year professional ban. Both said at the end of the deliberation to renounce to appeal. The last defendant, a biologist, was given a 10-month suspended sentence, a fine of 7,000 euros and a one-year professional ban.

The investigation began after a denunciation to customs and the discovery during searches of 497 officially negative tests, issued in September and October 2020 to patients from the Eurofins laboratory in Montauroux (Var), Peymeinade and Nice (Alpes-Maritimes).