The Justice Department is accusing a longtime senior advisor to Dr. Anthony Fauci of using his private email to hide communication about the COVID-19 virus from public view while helping to shape the narrative about its origins.
David M. Morens, 78, who served for years as a top advisor within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), was indicted and is accused of using his personal email account to evade federal transparency laws and shield key discussions from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, according to a DOJ indictment unsealed Tuesday.
Prosecutors allege that Morens conspired with others during the pandemic to hide communications related to a controversial coronavirus research grant that involved collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. The grant was later terminated amid scrutiny over whether COVID-19 may have originated from a lab leak.
The indictment alleges that Morens and his associates deliberately moved conversations off official government systems and onto private email accounts to keep them from public disclosure. The communications allegedly included internal discussions about COVID research, efforts to influence funding decisions, and exchanges related to messaging on the virus’s origins.
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The indictment also alleges that Morens played a behind-the-scenes role in relaying information to senior agency leadership, who in turn briefed the White House, Congress and the public during the pandemic.
Federal prosecutors also claim that Morens received gifts from a collaborator — including wine and offers of high-end meals — and later took steps to justify those perks by contributing to a scientific publication supporting the theory that COVID-19 emerged naturally rather than from the Wuhan lab.
Morens did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. A spokesperson for the National Institutes of Health also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Morens previously faced scrutiny from House lawmakers over emails related to COVID-era communications. During congressional testimony, he said he regretted the tone of certain messages and described some remarks as “black humor.”
The charges include conspiracy, destruction and concealment of federal records and related offenses. Morens faces decades in prison if convicted.
The case is likely to intensify scrutiny of how federal health officials handled key questions during the pandemic, particularly debates over the virus’s origins.
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