WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors have brought criminal charges against a former top advisor to Dr. Anthony Fauci, alleging he deliberately hid communications about COVID-19 research during the pandemic, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
Dr. David Morens, 78, stands accused of deliberately using personal email to avoid public records requirements during his time at the National Institutes of Health. Prosecutors claim he hid or destroyed records of conversations about COVID-19 research funding, including efforts to restart a disputed coronavirus grant program.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche condemned the alleged actions in a Tuesday statement. “These allegations represent a profound abuse of trust at a time when the American people needed it most — during the height of a global pandemic,” Blanche said. “Government officials have a solemn duty to provide honest, well-grounded facts and advice in service of the public interest — not to advance their own personal or ideological agendas.”
The charges include conspiracy against the United States, destroying or falsifying federal investigation records, hiding or destroying government documents, and aiding others in these crimes, according to Justice Department officials. A conviction could result in decades behind bars. Morens’ legal representative chose not to provide a statement.
The criminal case validates Republican claims that federal agencies withheld crucial COVID-19 information as the pandemic developed. Despite extensive investigations, scientists still cannot definitively explain how COVID-19 began. Researchers remain divided on whether the virus spread naturally from animals or escaped from a laboratory. Intelligence agencies concluded in 2023 that available evidence cannot support either explanation.
According to Blanche, Morens’ alleged actions were designed to “suppress alternative theories” about how COVID-19 originated. Federal prosecutors also claim Morens maintained inappropriate relationships with research partners, including allegedly receiving wine as a gift and discussing COVID-19 studies and possible publication in major medical publications.
The criminal charges stem from House Republican investigations into COVID-19’s origins that examined Morens’ email records and accused him of deliberately hiding government documents. During congressional hearings, Morens rejected claims that he tried to avoid federal transparency requirements through personal email use.
