Identity theft victim signed up for euthanasia by imposter in France

A hospital patient in France had his identity stolen after the mystery perpetrator pretended to be him and signed him up for euthanasia in Switzerland, it has emerged.

The man’s family have launched action to take the imposter to court for alleged attempted murder. He has not been identified.

The victim is a cancer patient in a hospital in Lons-le-Saunier, Jura (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté). His family launched the case after he discovered a certificate confirming his planned euthanasia in Switzerland for October 10, 2023.

The request had been signed by an unknown person pretending to be the victim.

The family’s lawyer, Patrick Uzan, told AFP that the family had made a formal complaint ‘against X’ for alleged attempted murder by ID theft.

The certificate appeared to have been issued by a doctor, at the patient’s request. But the patient - who has had sinus cancer since spring 2022 - had never said he wanted to resort to euthanasia and alerted his family as soon as he discovered the euthanasia documents, his brothers and sisters said.

A psychiatrist in Lons-le-Saunier later admitted to having been deceived by an imposter. He said that the man in hospital was “not the same man” as the one who came to see him to request a certificate of “good mental health”, in connection with the euthanasia arrangements.

Protections have now been put in place for the patient, and a guardianship judge has been appointed.

Mr Uzan has called the alleged crime “attempted murder” and said his client was the “victim of an assassination attempt”.

The family has said they have no idea who might have stolen the patient’s identity - or why.

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