A Utah plastic surgeon has been accused of destroying COVID-19 vaccines -- and giving saline shots to children upon their parents’ request – as part of an alleged scheme to peddle fraudulent CDC cards.
Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., 58, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury this month on charges alleging he disposed of more than $28,000 worth of COVID-19 vaccines and fraudulently completed and distributed hundreds of vaccination record cards.
Prosecutors say Moore and his three co-defendants, including his neighbor, allegedly ran a scheme Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah Inc. to "defraud the United States and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."
The doctor and co-defendants Kari Dee Burgoyne, 52, Kristin Jackson Andersen, 59, and Sandra Flores, 31, destroyed at least $28,028.50 worth of government-provided COVID-19 vaccines and distributed at least 1,937 doses’ worth of fraudulently completed vaccination record cards to others in exchange for either direct cash payments or required "donations" to a specified charitable organization, without administering a COVID-19 vaccine to the card recipient, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah announced on Wednesday.
As charged in court documents, the defendants also allegedly administered saline shots to minors – at the request of their parents – so children would think they were receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Sunday seeking more information.
The indictment, obtained by the New York Post, reportedly says Moore, a board-certified surgeon, and his neighbor, Andersen, belong to a secret organization that aims to "‘liberate’ the medical profession from government and industry conflicts of interest." They joined forces with Burgoyne, the office manager, and Flores, the receptionist, to pour the legitimate vaccines down the drain with syringes, the Post reported, citing the indictment. They allegedly charged a $50 "donation" per fake vaccination card.
"By allegedly falsifying vaccine cards and administering saline shots to children instead of COVID-19 vaccines, not only did this provider endanger the health and well-being of a vulnerable population but also undermined public trust and the integrity of federal health care programs," Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, said in a statement. "HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable bad actors who attempt to illegally profit from the pandemic."
"This defendant allegedly used his medical profession to administer bogus vaccines to unsuspecting people, to include children falsifying a sense of security," Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Miller, HSI Las Vegas added. "HSI remains committed to working with our partners to bring those who seek to take advantage of the pandemic to deliberately harm and deceive others for their own profit to justice."
The quartet was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 11.
Moore, his medical corporation, and the three co-defendants are charged with 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.
Their initial court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 26.
As of June 2022, the CDC has recommended COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as six months old. While anyone can contract COVID-19, older adults and the elderly are the most at risk of developing dangerous symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic.
