LONDON — Richemont is standing by its founder and chairman Johann Rupert’s decision to get vaccinated early for COVID-19 after a Swiss newspaper accused him of cheating the system.
The newspaper also accused Rupert of working his personal connections to get the shot. One of the South African billionaire’s companies is invested indirectly in a private clinic operated by the Hirslanden group. The group is in charge of administering the vaccine in Thurgau.The Swiss paper argued that Rupert wasn’t playing by the rules, and potentially took the place of older and more vulnerable people who might be at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
A Richemont spokesperson said that “as a Swiss taxpayer for over 30 years who qualifies for the vaccine, we can confirm that Mr. Johann Rupert has been vaccinated against COVID-19.” It is understood that Rupert qualified for the vaccine because of underlying health vulnerabilities. He said he hoped the virus was “a-once-in-a-lifetime event,” and expressed concern that millions have lost their jobs or been put on government-supported schemes, and that some businesses would not survive.