A Utah plastic surgeon and four co-defendants allegedly conducted a scheme in which they sold almost 2,000 fraudulent COVID vaccine cards, using the lot numbers of vials they emptied down the sink.
The five were indicted last week by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City on charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Utah.
From October 2021 to September 22, prosecutors say, the conspirators distributed 1,937 vaccination record cards, requesting cash payment of $50 or a “donation” to a specified charity.
They had vials of COVID-19 vaccine — hundreds of doses that the doctor had ordered from the Centers for Disease Control — but instead of administering it, they would note the vial number on the card and dump the solution, the court documents say.
With children, they would allegedly administer a saline shot so the young recipients would believe they’d been vaccinated.
As part of the investigation, which involved Homeland Security and the FBI, two undercover agents went separately to the man’s medical office in Midvale, Utah. They passed the screening for the fake vaccination cards by giving the name of a previous customer who they said had referred them.
The defendants are scheduled to appear Jan. 26 before a federal judge to answer to charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to convert, sell, convey, and dispose of government property; and conversion, sale, conveyance, and disposal of government property and aiding and abetting.
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Health & Fitness News Click Here
