Germany’s federal criminal police agency, the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), reported a significant surge in economic crime cases this year. A total of 61,358 economic offenses were recorded, representing a 57.6% increase compared to the previous year.
The rise in case numbers is primarily attributed to a substantial increase in fraud incidents (39,207 cases, up 116.7%) and healthcare billing fraud (20,553 cases, marking an extraordinary increase of 847.6%). A particularly extensive investigation undertaken in Schleswig-Holstein, encompassing both these areas, notably influenced these figures.
Nationwide, the total damage caused by economic crime amounts to €2.76 billion, a 2.9% rise from the prior period. While economic crimes constitute approximately one percent of all recorded offenses, they are responsible for over a third of the total financial losses.
Law enforcement agencies are grappling with the growing complexity of these investigations. The BKA emphasized the importance of consistent reporting of suspected offenses, highlighting this as a crucial factor in exposing criminal structures and enabling successful prosecutions. Officials stressed that proactive reporting remains essential to effectively identify and dismantle economic crime operations.