Pam Bondi Drops Charges Against Surgeon Over Fake Vaccine Cards, Fueling Similar Cases
Pam Bondi Drops Charges Against Surgeon Over Fake Vaccine Cards, Fueling Similar Cases
The dismissal of charges against certain medical professionals has prompted others
facing similar allegations to seek reexaminations of their cases, highlighting the
growing influence of doctors and politicians advocating for “medical freedom.” This
movement opposes vaccine requirements and other modern public health
interventions, emphasizing individual choice over government mandates.
Although initially dismissed by the medical establishment, the medical freedom
movement gained momentum as distrust in government and public health systems
grew following the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also secured influence in Washington,
where longtime vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has assumed control over some
federal health agencies. During his tenure in the Trump administration, Kennedy
replaced members of federal vaccine advisory panels with his own appointees and
pressured the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to restrict access to
certain vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine.
These actions, coupled with the Trump administration’s rollback of federal vaccine
guidelines and rejection of scientific evidence, have alarmed the American Medical
Association (AMA) and other professional medical groups committed to public health
and vaccination standards.
Just days before U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered charges dropped, a federal
prosecutor argued before the jury that plastic surgeon Dr. Kirk Moore had enrolled in
the federal COVID-19 vaccine distribution program with the intent to sabotage it,
according to court transcripts. The prosecutor urged jurors to convict Moore,
emphasizing that no one is above the law—not even a plastic surgeon involved in
vaccine fraud.
A Utah plastic surgeon who admitted to falsifying COVID-19 vaccination cards and
discarding government-supplied vaccine doses has had all federal charges
dismissed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a move that is now reshaping how
similar cases across the United States are being viewed.
Dr. Kirk Moore, a plastic surgeon based in Utah, had been on trial for five days on
charges that included conspiracy to defraud the United States. Prosecutors alleged he
falsified vaccination records and improperly disposed of federally supplied COVID-19
vaccine doses. If convicted, Moore faced up to 35 years in federal prison.
Testimony paused for a weekend in July when Moore received a call from his attorney
with unexpected news: Pam Bondi had ordered Utah prosecutors to drop all charges
, abruptly ending Moore’s two-and-a-half-year legal battle.
“I just collapsed to the floor with tears rolling down my face,” Moore said in a recent interview.
Reversal of Federal COVID-19 Vaccine Fraud Prosecutions
Bondi’s decision marked a dramatic departure from how the Biden administration
pursued COVID-19-related fraud cases, and it has since emboldened other medical
professionals facing similar charges to seek case reviews or dismissals.
The move also highlighted the growing political influence of doctors and policymakers
who advocate for what they call “medical freedom,” a movement that opposes vaccine
mandates and other modern public health interventions, favoring individual choice
instead.
Growing Influence of the Medical Freedom Movement
Though long criticized by the medical establishment, the medical freedom movement
gained traction as public distrust in government and healthcare systems increased
following the coronavirus pandemic.
That influence has expanded in Washington, where longtime vaccine critic Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. now oversees major federal health agencies. As Health and Human
Services secretary under President Donald Trump, Kennedy has replaced members of
federal vaccine advisory panels, pushed the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) to restrict access to certain vaccines, and supported rollbacks of
longstanding federal vaccination guidelines.
These changes have raised alarms among professional medical groups, including the
American Medical Association, which warned that rejecting scientific evidence could
undermine public health nationwide.
Prosecutors Previously Sought Conviction
Just days before Bondi’s intervention, a federal prosecutor had told jurors that Moore
joined the federal COVID-19 vaccine distribution program with the intent to
“sabotage” it, according to court transcripts. She urged the jury to convict Moore,
arguing that “no one is above the law, not even a plastic surgeon.”
Moore said he enrolled in the program in May 2021, receiving more than 2,000 free
vaccine doses and vaccination cards, after businesses, nursing homes, and the military
began requiring proof of vaccination. He admitted he planned to distribute vaccine cards
without administering the shots, saying he wanted to give patients a way to bypass
vaccine mandates.
Bondi Defends Decision
Bondi later defended her decision on social media, writing that “Dr. Moore gave his
patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so.” She added that
Moore did not deserve the lengthy prison sentence he was facing.
A spokesperson for Bondi declined further comment, and the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office
did not respond to requests for comment.
According to government news releases and media reports reviewed by The Salt Lake
Tribune and ProPublica, Dr. Kirk Moore was one of at least 12 health care
professionals charged since 2021 for giving or selling fraudulent COVID-19 vaccine
cards in the United States.
Those charged in vaccine card fraud cases included midwives, nurses, pharmacists,
and another surgeon. Under the Biden administration, eight defendants were
charged in federal court, while state prosecutors in California, New York, and New
Jersey brought charges against four others.
With the exception of Moore, only one of the accused health care workers proceeded to
trial: a Chicago pharmacist who was convicted by a jury for selling stolen blank COVID-
19 vaccination cards on eBay. The remaining defendants pleaded guilty and received
sentences ranging from probation and home confinement to prison time. Many also
faced professional discipline, including fines and the suspension of medical licenses.
Among the 11 convicted individuals, the Chicago pharmacist appealed his conviction,
but the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case in November, according to court
records. His attorney told The Tribune and ProPublica that they are now exploring a
presidential pardon. Another health care worker involved in a similar case also said
she hopes to receive a pardon from President Donald Trump.
Following the dismissal of Moore’s case, several of these health care professionals,
along with others from different professions convicted of vaccine card fraud, formed a
group known as “Covicted Patriot,” according to public statements.
No comments
do not spam comment in the comment box