Benavente doctor suspended from work in pension fraud investigation
Clinician detained by the Judicial Police is suspended from duties by Lisbon court, accused of accepting payments to facilitate invalidity pensions. Two colleagues were released without restrictive measures.
Benavente doctor suspended from work in pension fraud investigation
A healthcare professional working in Benavente has been removed from her professional activities by order of the Central Criminal Instruction Court of Lisbon. The woman was arrested on Wednesday by Judicial Police officers during operation "Relax", accused of being part of a scheme to illegally approve invalidity pensions in exchange for financial compensation.
The judicial decision also imposes on the defendant a ban on leaving Portugal and on contacting any participant in the proceedings. The doctor was released, subject to these three obligations.
In the same proceedings, two other clinicians who were also detained were released without significant restrictions. They are only required to report periodically to the authorities and maintain a fixed residence. The court concluded that there was insufficient evidence of criminal involvement on the part of these professionals.
The Judicial Police investigation aims to dismantle a corruption network involving early retirement schemes for incapacity, where doctors would receive improper advantages in order to issue favourable assessments to applicants who did not meet the necessary medical requirements.
Source: RTP
Source: RTP