Ibiza, Avignon festival, Formula 1 in Monaco: reprieve for the firefighter and the physiotherapist who crush false passes
Tried Wednesday evening before the judicial court, they were also sentenced to fines. They hadn’t received any money, but watered their friends.
The Montpellier physiotherapist and firefighter found guilty of falsifying tests to obtain health passes had a bad time at the bar of the Montpellier court on Wednesday evening February 9. But how could it have been otherwise? By hijacking software to spray their loved ones with fake health passes, they have enabled dozens of people to avoid compulsory tests to go to Ibiza, the Avignon festival or even the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco, while while still being positive for Covid-19 for one of the beneficiaries…
“You are both health professionals, how could you take this risk? I cannot understand, especially in the face of this disease that we do not know well!” storm the president. The investigation by the cyber group of gendarmes from the Montpellier research section had made it possible, in August 2021, to establish that around a hundred fraudulent passes resulting from false tests were carried out, for around forty people, commercial directors, managers luxury boutique or an anesthesiologist: “they sprayed the jet-set” summed up an investigator. But without touching a penny, just to satisfy their loved ones.
It was pure troubleshooting, I shouldn’t have, I deeply regret
At the helm, sheepishly, the firefighter from Sdis de l’Hérault profusely apologizes. He admits to having facilitated trips to the Canary Islands or to having helped his parents so that they could go and have fun at the theater in Avignon, without having to “an hour and a half in line at the pharmacy” he justifies.
“It was pure troubleshooting, I shouldn’t have, I deeply regret, but I didn’t feel like I was putting people in danger” pursues the one who has been suspended from his job since his arrest.
The physiotherapist, too, is on forced leave from his patient base, he does not get away with it and his quavering voice betrays his apprehension. He had started falsifying tests at Barcelona airport on his way home from Brazil. He didn’t stop after that.
Still positive to go see a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco
“This story went around my circle of friends, I could not refuse this service, I greatly regretted what I had done, I am really ashamed” he says, head down. It was he who allowed a relative to go to a Porsche race in Monaco, because he worked for one of the sponsors, before taking the opportunity to go to the Formula 1 Grand Prix, although still positive…
“It’s a big mistake on my part” confess the physio.
If all the “clients” were fined last fall – between 600 and 3500 € – the prosecutor’s office required “a double penalty” against the two defendants: a suspended prison sentence and professional bans of one year.
“For two years, people have been making considerable efforts all over the world and during this time, for holidays in Brazil or the Canary Islands, they are doing false tests! It’s shameful! Morally, there is a danger to the life of others!” asserts the prosecutor.
My D’Alimonte and Chabert, in defence, reply and ask for a “just punishment”, recalling that their clients have not received a penny and that they absolutely must continue their professional careers. They were heard on this point: the two men received a one-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of €10,000 (for the firefighter) and €40,000 (for the physiotherapist), but no ban on exercising .