Utah surgeon, others accused of destroying vaccines, giving fake shots to children

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KTVX) – A Utah plastic surgeon, his neighbor, and two others are going through costs in reference to allegations that they gave individuals faux vaccination playing cards and destroyed government-provided COVID-19 vaccinations.

They’re additionally accused of giving kids faux COVID-19 pictures.

In line with court docket paperwork, Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., 58, and three others allegedly ran a scheme out of Plastic Surgical procedure Institute of Utah Inc. to defraud the USA and the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).

The paperwork say Moore and his neighbor, Kristin Jackson Andersen, 59, had been members of a personal group searching for to “liberate the medical career from authorities and trade conflicts of curiosity.”

The pair, together with workplace supervisor Kari Dee Burgoyne, 52, and receptionist Sandra Flores, 31, are accused of destroying no less than $28,000 price of COVID-19 vaccinations and distributing no less than 1,900 doses’ price of pretend accomplished vaccination report playing cards.

The court docket paperwork allege the faux vaccination playing cards had been bought both for direct money funds of $50 per individual per incidence or required “donations to a specified charitable group.”

The paperwork estimate the faux vaccination playing cards have a complete worth of almost $97,000.

Moore and his co-defendants are additionally accused of giving kids saline pictures on the request of their dad and mom so the kids would suppose they had been receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

“By allegedly falsifying vaccine playing cards and administering saline pictures to kids as an alternative of COVID-19 vaccines, not solely did this supplier endanger the well being and well-being of a weak inhabitants but additionally undermined public belief and the integrity of federal well being care applications,” stated Curt L. Muller, Particular Agent in Cost with the Division of Well being and Human Providers, Workplace of the Inspector Normal.

Moore, his co-defendants, and the Plastic Surgical procedure Institute have been charged with conspiracy to defraud the USA; conspiracy to transform, promote, convey, and dispose of presidency property; and conversion, sale, conveyance, and disposal of presidency property and aiding and abetting.

The defendants are scheduled to look in court docket on Jan. 26 at 2 p.m.