Kathmandu: Nepalese authorities have launched a major prosecution against 32 suspects, including a trekking tour company, hospital administrators, and helicopter service providers, following the uncovering of a fraudulent tourism insurance scheme in the Everest region. The investigation revealed a ruthless modus operandi involving "faking medical emergencies." Guides would mix excessive amounts of baking soda into food or water to induce altitude sickness or severe food poisoning in tourists, thus forcing them to use expensive helicopter rescue services. The perpetrators then colluded with medical facilities to falsify medical documents to claim fraudulent bills from foreign insurance companies. The estimated damages between 2022 and 2025 are believed to be over $19.69 million (approximately 700 million baht).

According to Thai News Agency, Kathmandu police stated that the scheme affected over 4,700 foreign mountaineers and involved more than 300 staged rescue operations. The operation also used a method of charging individuals separately, as if they were traveling on different flights, even though they were on the same plane. This case marks a revival of the investigation, which was first exposed by the media in 2018 but yielded no progress. The Kathmandu District Court has begun recording statements from some of the arrested suspects, while 23 remain at large. This case highlights a moral crisis in Nepal's mountaineering tourism industry that could long-term damage the confidence of adventurers worldwide.