An organized criminal network on Everest would have transformed mountain expeditions into a machine for defrauding international insurance companies. According to investigations by the Nepalese police, some mountain guides and tour operators deliberately made foreign climbers sick to force them to evacuate by helicopter, then submitted inflated or completely false refund requests.
The scandal allegedly involved 4,782 international climbers between 2022 and 2025. Authorities have already indicted 32 people and made several arrests as part of the operation. The system allegedly generated nearly $20 million in insurance reimbursements, obtained through manipulated documentation and relief efforts deemed unnecessary.
Altered food and simulated illnesses
According to investigators, some tourists were deliberately intoxicated during the expeditions. Among the most used methods is the addition of bicarbonate in large quantities to food, which can cause nausea, abdominal pain and symptoms similar to altitude sickness. In other cases, drugs would have been administered with excessive water to generate physical discomfort.
Once symptoms appeared, climbers were convinced of the need for urgent medical evacuations by helicopter, often presented as essential. The companies involved then produced falsified medical reports and manipulated flight logs, used to request reimbursements from international travel insurance companies.
Inflated invoices and false documents
The system also included artificially increased costs. According to the investigation, when multiple tourists were transported by the same helicopter, each passenger was billed as if they had taken a separate flight. To support the requests, non-existent health documents and hospitalizations were produced, in some cases for people who had not received any treatment.
The network would involve various actors in the tourism supply chain: Sherpas, trekking agencies, air rescue companies and hospital facilities. Some companies are believed to be responsible for hundreds of suspicious evacuations, with millions of dollars collected through claims deemed fraudulent.
Investigations and impact on tourism in Nepal
The first arrests were made in January, when six executives of relief companies were arrested on charges of organized insurance fraud. The Nepalese authorities speak of not only economic but also reputational damage, underlining the negative impact on the image of the country and Himalayan tourism.
This is not the first time such cases have emerged. Previous investigations had already reported fake rescues on Everest, but investigators say the scam continued due to insufficient sanctions and difficult controls at high altitude. Meanwhile, some international insurance companies have threatened to suspend coverage for trekking in Nepal if the phenomenon is not stopped.
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