Bulgarian Police Bust Illegal Draining of Social Security Institute

Sofia-based head office of Bulgaria`s Social Security Institute (NOI). Photo by BGNES.

Economic Police officers from the Sofia District Directorate of the Ministry of Interior have uncovered the illegal draining of BGN 400 000 from the budget of Bulgaria's Social Insurance Institute (NOI).

The scam was carried out via phantom companies registered by two Sofia residents, aged 32 and 33.

The companies raised the suspicions of police officers through the huge discrepancies between the revenues reported, the salaries paid and the commercial activities carried out.

In the course of the almost 12-month long investigation, the police was on the tracks of the illegal receipt of temporary disability and unemployment benefits through forged documents.

After the scheme was busted, the police seized numerous company stamps, labor contracts, fake sickness notes, electronic signatures and debit cards from three premises used by the criminals.

The Sofia Prosecutor's Office has ordered that the two offenders be detained for 72 hours.

Last year, police forces uncovered another draining scheme during a police operation codenamed "The Sick Notes". The scam involved draining money from NOI through phantom companies with negligible economic activity that register as employees mothers-to-be at high salaries.

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