A longtime government scientist who advised Dr. Anthony Fauci is now facing federal charges tied to how information about the origins of COVID-19 was handled during the pandemic.
According to the New York Post, prosecutors say David Morens, 78, a former senior adviser at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, took part in efforts to conceal and manipulate records sought through federal investigations.
The indictment, unsealed Monday in a Maryland federal court, accuses Morens of conspiracy against the United States, along with multiple counts involving the destruction, falsification, and concealment of federal records.
If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 51 years in prison.
According to the filing, Morens is also accused of working alongside two unnamed co-conspirators to evade transparency laws, including the Freedom of Information Act and the Federal Records Act.
Details in the indictment point to EcoHealth Alliance president Peter Daszak and Boston University researcher Gerald Keusch.
Morens appeared in court Monday and was granted conditional release. A judge ordered him to surrender his passport and avoid all contact with the individuals identified in the case.
Prosecutors highlighted a series of emails as part of the alleged scheme.
“There are things I can’t say except Tony is aware and I have learned that there are ongoing efforts within NIH to steer this through with minimal damage to you, Peter, and colleagues, and to NIH and NIAID,” Morens wrote in an April 26, 2020, message.
The indictment also describes what it calls “illegal gratuities,” including two bottles of “The Prisoner Red Napa Valley Wine” sent to Morens’ home in June 2020.
“This is the first of what I hope will be a continued series of expressions [sic] of gratitude for your advice, support, and behind-the-scenes shenanigans in my battle against your boss’s boss, his boss, and the ultimate boss on the hill,” Daszak wrote in a note accompanying the gift.
“Now I am actually going to have to do something to deserve it. Let me think,” Morens replied, suggesting he could publish “scientific commentary” supporting EcoHealth’s work.
Prosecutors say Morens frequently used a private Gmail account to conduct official business and discussed ways to avoid records requests.
“[T]here is no worry about FOIAs. I can either send stuff to Tony on his private Gmail [sic], or hand it to him at work or at his house,” he wrote in one email.
In another, he stated: “[I] learned from our foia [sic] lady here how to make emails disappear after I am FOIA’d [sic] but before the search starts.”
Authorities allege those actions limited public access to information requested in hundreds of records inquiries, including those tied to a federal grant awarded to EcoHealth Alliance that funded coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Officials say the case represents a significant breach of public trust.
“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,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Morens and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed information and falsified records in an effort to suppress alternative theories regarding the origins of COVID-19.”
FBI Director Kash Patel added, “Not only did Morens allegedly engage in the illegal obfuscation of his communications, but he received kickbacks for doing so.”
The charges stem from a broader investigation conducted by federal agencies following a congressional referral, and the case is expected to move forward in the coming months.
