Dr. David Morens, a former senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci, has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly conspiring to hide communications regarding COVID-19 research during the pandemic. Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, served as a senior adviser to the NIAID's Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022.
The Justice Department alleges that Morens used a private email account to intentionally circumvent public records laws while employed at the National Institutes of Health. He is accused of concealing or destroying records of discussions related to COVID-19 research grants, including an effort to revive a controversial grant. Additionally, prosecutors claim Morens maintained an improper relationship with a collaborator, which included accepting a gift of wine and discussing research and potential publications in a prominent medical journal.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche described the alleged conduct as a profound abuse of trust and part of an effort to suppress alternative theories concerning the origins of COVID-19. These charges follow a probe by House Republicans into whether the federal government covered up key information about whether the virus emerged from a laboratory accident or a natural spillover.
Morens faces charges including conspiracy against the United States, as well as the destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations. While he previously denied attempting to evade transparency laws during congressional testimony, he now faces the possibility of decades in prison if convicted. An attorney for Morens has declined to comment.