The German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) has largely rejected an appeal by a physician against a ruling from the Dresden Regional Court concerning the issuance of fraudulent medical certificates. The court announced its decision on Tuesday.
The physician had been convicted by the Regional Court of 1,003 instances of issuing incorrect health certificates during the COVID-19 pandemic, including 26 counts in conjunction with false documentation. She was also found guilty of fraud and unlawful possession of a prohibited weapon, resulting in a combined prison sentence of two years and eight months. The Regional Court further imposed a three-year ban on the physician’s right to practice medicine.
According to findings presented by the Regional Court, the physician began selling “certificate of convenience” in late 2020, to provide exemptions from mask mandates and enable permanent refusals of vaccination during the pandemic, creating an income stream. These certificates were reportedly generated without prior medical examinations and distributed at group appointments across various German states.
Furthermore, the physician had ordered COVID-19 rapid tests in the summer of 2021 without intending to pay for them and was found to be in possession of an electrical shock device without required certification in early 2023. The Federal Court of Justice determined that no legal errors prejudiced the physician’s case. The Regional Court’s ruling is now legally binding (Decision dated August 27, 2025 – 5 StR 130/25).
