A review by the German Federal Audit Court (Bundesrechnungshof) has concluded that efforts to recover funds lost due to suspected fraud within COVID-19 testing centers have yielded disappointing results. The findings, detailed in a regular report presented to the Bundestag, highlight significant shortcomings in the process.
Between March 2020 and March 2023, the federal government disbursed approximately €8 billion to testing center operators. Shortly after, suspicions arose that tests were being invoiced that never actually took place. The audit court’s report cites “numerous indications of fraud”. While €27.8 million was recovered last year, outstanding claims currently total €375.2 million.
The report further criticizes the performance of the German states, which are responsible for conducting more in-depth investigations. Only seven states have completed the necessary reviews, while nine remain engaged in the process two years after the initial billing assessments. The Bundesrechnungshof deemed this progress “unsatisfactory” and urged the states to expedite their investigations and finalize their findings. The report underscores the complexity of tracking and verifying expenditures within the decentralized system of COVID-19 testing.