Charges Dropped Against Utah Doctor Alleged to Sell Fake COVID-19 Vaccination Cards

The Justice Department has decided to drop the case against Dr. Michael Kirk Moore, a Utah plastic surgeon accused of selling nearly 1,900 counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination records for around $97,000. The charges originally included conspiracy to defraud the government and related offenses.

Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the department was ordered to dismiss the charges, stating that Dr. Moore “did not deserve” the potential 35-year prison sentence he faced. She emphasized that Moore provided his patients with alternatives when the federal government refused to. “It ends today,” she added.

Initially, Moore and two staffers, along with a neighbor, were charged in 2023 with distributing fake vaccination cards from his clinic in Midvale, Utah. Prosecutors alleged he and his accomplices also collaborated to destroy $28,000 worth of government-provided vaccines, aiming to oppose what they described as “conflicts of interest” between the medical profession and government or industry.

The scheme involved team members, including office manager Kari Dee Burgoyne and receptionist Sandra Flores, who reportedly assisted in the operation. The investigation accused them of conspiracy and misuse of government property.

As part of the allegations, it was claimed Moore injected some children with saline instead of the COVID-19 vaccine upon request, and then provided fake vaccination cards. The aim was reportedly to support anti-vaccination sentiments among certain patient groups.

The Justice Department’s move comes shortly before a scheduled trial in Salt Lake City, which began the Monday prior with jury selection. It remains unclear whether other members of the alleged scheme will face further charges.