Ex-Ruag Manager Charged with Fake COVID Certificate – Switzerland News
A former manager at Ruag, the Swiss federal defense company and his wife are facing charges of aiding and abetting the forgery of COVID-19 vaccination certificates, according to an indictment filed this month. Simultaneously, a hospital physician in the canton of Bern has been convicted, with an appeal pending, for obtaining a fraudulent certificate during a period when proof of vaccination was required for healthcare workers.
The case against the Ruag executive and his wife centers on certificates allegedly purchased in late 2021 through intermediaries from a Zurich-based doctor who is too under investigation. Authorities discovered details of the couple’s transactions during a search of the doctor’s practice, and a former medical assistant testified against them, according to court documents. The doctor is accused of generating over half a million Swiss francs in revenue from the sale of the forged certificates, charging approximately 600 francs per document.
The Ruag manager, who underwent an enhanced security vetting process, had publicly praised the company’s COVID-19 safety protocols during the pandemic, stating that Ruag had avoided major outbreaks due to strict adherence to protective measures and employee responsibility. The company confirmed the manager’s enhanced vetting but declined to comment on the specifics of the case, stating they have no knowledge of the matter.
Adrian Ritz, a professor of Public Management at the University of Bern, emphasized the heightened expectations for individuals in leadership positions within state-owned enterprises. “There are increased requirements that are important because it is about the public’s trust in institutions that are also financed by citizens,” Ritz said. He added that such individuals have a duty to act lawfully and address conflicts between personal values and job requirements appropriately, particularly if improperly obtained benefits are used professionally.
The hospital physician in the canton of Bern received a penal order for aiding and abetting the forgery of a vaccination certificate. The physician allegedly obtained the fraudulent certificate at a time when the canton mandated vaccination certificates for healthcare personnel, requiring unvaccinated staff to undergo regular testing. The physician appealed the penal order and is now facing formal charges, but declined to comment on the ongoing proceedings.
The Ruag executive and his wife were initially convicted by penal order in 2024, but have filed an appeal. Court documents reveal the manager expressed concern that the public disclosure of information related to the case would be a “security-political disaster.” The state prosecutor filed formal charges of aiding and abetting forgery in December, and a trial is scheduled to begin soon. Both the manager and his wife have declined to comment on the pending proceedings, and both are presumed innocent until proven guilty.