Fraud in the canton of Aargau Fake doctor allegedly treated psychiatric patients for years
A woman without a medical degree is alleged to have treated patients at the Aargau Psychiatric Services for several years - with diagnoses, medication and official appearances. The alleged fraud has only now been uncovered.
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- An alleged doctor is said to have treated patients in the Aargau psychiatric services without ever having studied medicine.
- The woman was entered in the official medical professions register for four years - the entry has since been deleted.
- The Department of Health and Social Affairs has filed a criminal complaint; the woman speaks of a "misunderstanding".
An allegedly fake doctor has been working unmolested for several years at the Aargau Psychiatric Services (PDAG). Between January 2022 and summer 2025, the 40-year-old woman treated patients, made diagnoses and prescribed medication at the clinic for psychiatry and psychotherapy in Windisch - apparently without a valid medical degree.
As SRF Investigativ reports, the fraud was only uncovered after the Medical Professions Commission (Mebeko) revoked the woman's entry in the Medical Professions Register (Medreg) in July. Without this entry, no one is allowed to practise medicine in Switzerland. Only then was the employee released from the clinic.
The woman had been listed in the register for four years. According to SRF, this was based on a Russian medical diploma that was recognized as genuine by the Mebeko at the time. However, there are now considerable doubts about its authenticity.
Accused rejects allegations
Several authorities received anonymous letters in the summer accusing the woman of forging documents. The letters stated that she had never studied medicine in Moscow, but marketing. SRF has copies of the allegedly falsified documents.
Mebeko does not confirm any individual cases, but explains that it "carefully" examines indications of forged documents and obtains information from foreign universities in the event of suspicion. Such a check was also carried out in this case.
The accused rejects the accusations. "Of course I am a doctor," she told SRF Investigativ. She assumes there was a misunderstanding and is currently trying to provide evidence of the authenticity of her diploma.
Similar case in the canton of Zurich
The PDAG also commented. The woman had been hired on the basis of the official register entry and complete application documents. These were inconspicuous and contained certified translations. "Any gaps in the knowledge of foreign doctors are not considered unusual and are less noticeable in everyday life," the clinic explained.
According to PDAG, patients were never at risk at any time, as assistant doctors always worked under the close supervision of experienced specialists. According to SRF, the head physician responsible, Marc Walter, did not wish to comment on the case.
The Aargau Department of Health and Social Affairs has now filed a criminal complaint against the woman. She is presumed innocent. The investigation is ongoing.
The scandal in Aargau is reminiscent of an older case in Zurich: in 2023, a Ukrainian woman who had worked in a municipal nursing home with a fake diploma came to light. She had also previously provided false information in a German clinic and was later active in Switzerland. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) filed criminal charges at the time.
