Nepal police uncover $20mn Everest ‘poisoning’ insurance scam

Nepalese police have exposed a shocking scam in which Everest guides allegedly poisoned foreign climbers to fake medical emergencies and claim millions in insurance payouts.

According to a report by The Independent, the scheme involved secretly contaminating climbers’ food with substances such as baking powder, raw chicken, or rat excrement, inducing vomiting, dizziness, and other symptoms falsely attributed to altitude sickness.

The guides then staged costly helicopter rescue operations, submitting fraudulent claims to insurers. Multiple passengers were reportedly billed separately for the same helicopter flight, with fake medical reports and flight records fabricated to support the claims.

Authorities say the scam, carried out between 2022 and 2025, affected 4,782 climbers, involved over 300 fabricated rescues, and siphoned roughly $20 million (BDT 246 crore). Eleven suspects have been arrested, and 32 others are under investigation.

Investigators allege the conspiracy involved Sherpa guides, trekking company owners, helicopter operators, and hospital officials.

Nepal’s CIB chief warned that without stringent action, such crimes tend to escalate.

Insurance companies had previously threatened to suspend coverage if the fraudulent practices continued.

Similar scandals were reported in 2018 and 2019, but lack of enforcement allowed the scheme to persist.