Former Fauci adviser indicted over alleged COVID-19 records concealment
A federal grand jury indicted David Morens, a former senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci, accusing him of a scheme to conceal or destroy records connected to COVID-19 research as the pandemic unfolded, the Justice Department said. Prosecutors allege Morens used a private email account to avoid public-records requirements during his time at the National Institutes of Health, according to the indictment and a Justice Department news release.
The Justice Department said Morens’ alleged actions involved discussions and recordkeeping related to COVID-19 research grants, including what prosecutors described as an effort to revive a controversial coronavirus grant. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement that the allegations represent a “profound abuse of trust” at a time when officials, in his view, were supposed to be providing “honest, well-grounded facts and advice in service of the public interest.”
According to the Justice Department, Morens faces charges including conspiracy against the United States, destruction, alteration or falsification of records in federal investigations, concealment, removal or mutilation of records, and aiding and abetting. The department said that if convicted, Morens could face decades in prison.
The Justice Department’s announcement also described allegations aimed at suppressing alternative theories about COVID-19’s origins. It further accused Morens of an improper relationship with a collaborator, alleging that he accepted a gift of wine and discussed COVID-19 research and possible publications in a prominent medical journal.
The case follows congressional scrutiny led by House Republicans into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment reflects that broader political dispute, which prosecutors say is tied to record concealment claims about Morens’ email communications.
In congressional testimony referenced by the Justice Department’s announcement, Morens denied trying to evade federal transparency laws by using his personal email. An attorney for Morens declined to comment, according to the report.