Six arrested in France over suspected COVID benefits scam -Europol

PARIS - Six people have been arrested on suspicion of swindling the French state out of 12 million euros ($14.3 million) in COVID-19 unemployment benefits by using 3,600 shell companies to claim the payments, the Europol police body said on Wednesday.

Europol added that the main suspect – a 30-year-old Franco-Israeli citizen – and his wife were arrested in Replonges close to the Swiss border on June 16 while trying to flee to Geneva where they were planning to take a flight to Tel Aviv. 

($1 = 0.8379 euros)