Scam scheme on Everest: Sherpas allegedly intoxicated climbers to provoke false rescue operations / The amount of the fraud

A Nepalese police investigation has uncovered a large-scale scam on Everest, in which sherpas are accused of having intoxicated foreign climbers to trigger costly medical evacuations, with total damages estimated at 20 million dollars. As part of this scheme, the climbers' food would have been contaminated with baking powder, raw chicken, or even rat droppings, resulting in over 300 cases of false rescues.

Authorities have arrested 11 mountain rescue operators and charged 32 individuals, including trekking company owners and hospital directors. Investigators found that guides used various methods to provoke evacuations, including simulating medical emergencies. Medical and flight documents were falsified to support exaggerated compensation claims. This situation has led to a review of tourism operators, in the context of the climbing season starting on March 30. Although scams had been identified earlier, lenient penalties allowed them to continue, and insurance companies threatened to withdraw coverage for Nepal.