Bribery and fraud – worldwide famous German transplant surgeon imprisoned
The well known transplant surgeon Professor Broelsch has been sentenced to three years behind bars. The judges ordered this sentence for the former Chief Doctor at the Essen University Hospital due to instances of bribery, coercion, fraud and tax evasion.
The 65-year-old doctor seems to have, amongst others, persuaded terminally ill cancer patients to make "voluntary" donations to the University Hospital so that they could receive quicker care. It has been claimed that between 2002 and 2007 about 40 private patients were forced to pay these “additional fees" in order to be "dealt with promptly" and particularly by the Chief Doctor himself. In total around 200,000 Euros have allegedly been declared as a donation.
According to claims, Broelsch seems to have explained to his patients that he first treated the "rich, then politicians, then privately insured patients, and only then publicly insured patients."
This form of fundraising was stated as a very serious instance of fraud and corruption by the accusation authority. Broelsch has allegedly not declared to the income tax authorities the entries which came into the University Hospital account that was held in his name for many years. The accusation authority estimates these tax losses to be approximately 300,000€.
The professor's defense tried to ask for a fine for tax evasion in court but was unsuccessful on this occasion. Broelsch, who carries the Order of Merit for his medical services, underlined that he had treated more than 5000 patients in his nine years of practice at the Essen University Hospital. Whilst he had not been able to help them all, he had saved many lives. He added that he had not invented the distinction between private and public insured patients, embodied in the German healthcare system.