Suspects charged in COVID-19 vaccine database fraud investigation: OPP

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged two suspects in connection with what they’re calling an “extensive” fraud investigation linked to a COVID-19 vaccine database.

In a news release issued Tuesday, police said their investigation revealed 150 falsified entries into the database.

The OPP’s Health Fraud Investigation Unit (HFIU) led the probe, which investigates criminal and provincial offences involving the payment and delivery of health-care services or products.

Little is known about the investigation itself, or how the two accused had access to the directory.

Waseem Razvi, 35, of Mississauga, and Trang Tran, 34, of Toronto, were each charged with mischief to computer data, unauthorized use of a computer, breach of public trust, forgery, and trafficking in a forged document.

Asked for more information about the allegations against them, the OPP would only say: “The two accused in this incident inputted false information into the covid vaccination administration database.”

It’s unclear when exactly the alleged incidents took place.

Both are no longer in police custody and are scheduled to appear in a Toronto courtroom on Dec. 19.

During a period of the pandemic, Ontario made vaccination mandatory to access certain services, though it's unclear if the alleged fraud took place during that time.