US EditionNepal Arrests Six in Tourist Rescue Fraud
Authorities arrested six executives after uncovering forged claims and fake rescues totaling nearly $20 million, with one company filing 171 false claims causing over $10 million in payouts.
- On Monday, Nepal's Central Investigation Bureau arrested six individuals accused of a $19.69 million insurance scam involving fraudulent helicopter rescues between 2022 and 2025.
- Investigators found forged and manipulated documents after a two and a half month probe, revealing forged passenger and cargo manifests, chartered helicopter flights misrepresented as emergencies, and falsified medical invoices with private hospitals.
- The agency found one company had 171 fake entries out of 1,248 rescues, leading to over $10 million in unjustified payouts, police said.
- Thousands of trekkers rely on emergency helicopter rescues, crucial to Nepal's mountain tourism, while high-altitude climbers must show rescue insurance; Shiva Kumar Shrestha said investigations will continue.
- Bureau records show the problem predates recent arrests as a 2018 government probe identified 15 companies linked to the racket, yet scams continued despite insurer warnings and government guidelines to control fake rescues.
48 Articles
48 Articles
Mountain Rescue Companies Accused in $20M Fraud
Authorities in Nepal have arrested six travel and mountain rescue executives accused of conducting fake rescues on the Himalayan nation's high mountains to scam millions of dollars from international insurance companies, officials said Monday. Nepal's Central Investigation Bureau arrested six people from three different travel and mountain rescue operators last...
Nepal Arrests 6 Executives Over Fake Mountain Rescue Claims Scamming Millions
Authorities in Nepal have arrested six travel and mountain rescue executives accused of conducting fake rescues on the Himalayan nation's high mountains to scam millions of dollars from international insurance companies, officials said Monday.
Nepal Travel Executives Arrested for Scamming Millions with Fake ...
Travel executives arrested for scamming millions of dollars with fake mountain rescues
Authorities in Nepal say they have arrested six travel and mountain rescue executives accused of conducting fake rescues on the Himalayan nation’s high mountains to scam millions of dollars from...
Associated Press News
Nepal travel executives arrested for scamming millions with fake mountain rescues
Authorities in Nepal say they have arrested six travel and mountain rescue executives accused of conducting fake rescues on the Himalayan nation’s high mountains to scam millions of dollars from international insurance companies.
Nepal took six people for a fraud of about US$19.69 million (about $104 million) related to the rescue of helicopter tourists, reported to the police this afternoon. The police discovered evidence of requests for insurance insurance for the same rescue operation of stolen flights presented falsely as emergency evacuations and falsified medical invoices in connection with private hospitals.
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