Almost 2,000 fraudulent Covid-19 vaccination records are said to have been created (Image: Getty)
Two men have been charged in connection with the alleged creation and online sale of fake -19 vaccination records during the pandemic.
The National Crime Agency and NHS England carried out a joint investigation relating to the creation of almost 2,000 fraudulent records at a health centre in Luton between June and October 2021 and the seizure of £145,000 in cash from a safety deposit box in the town.
Waqas Hanif, 26, of Sherwood Road, Luton, was arrested by NCA officers in January 2022, while Touqir Nasir, 29, of Runley Road, Luton, attended a voluntary interview in March 2022.
Both men have been charged with offences under the Computer Misuse Act and Fraud Act and are due to appear at Luton Magistrates’ Court today.
They are also alleged to have entered into, and be concerned in, the acquisition, retention and use or control of criminal property, and conspiring to commit fraud by false representation.
Mr Hanif has also been charged with acquiring, use and possession of criminal property.
During the pandemic, unvaccinated individuals were said to have paid for legitimate vaccine passport records which were obtained from online marketplaces illegally.
It is suspected by the NCA that organised criminals recruited healthcare professionals to produce the fraudulent records. This would have allowed unvaccinated people to travel when others were subject to restrictions.
Deputy Director Paul Foster, Head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said: “Receiving a vaccine is a matter of individual choice. However, abusing our healthcare system to facilitate unvaccinated individuals to bypass restrictions that are in place to protect the British public is illegal.
“Working closely with the NHS England Counter Fraud Team, this investigation has helped to secure the safety of our communities by preventing organised criminals from further undermining the national pandemic response and benefitting financially from the damaging service they provided.”