Federal prosecutors have dropped all charges against a Utah plastic surgeon who was accused of destroying COVID-19 vaccines, giving children saline shots instead, and selling fake vaccination cards.
Dr. Michael Kirk Moore of Midvale, Utah, had been facing up to 35 years in prison. He was charged in 2023 along with others from his clinic, the Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah Inc., and a neighbor.
The group was accused of damaging over $28,000 worth of government-supplied vaccines and issuing more than 1,900 fake vaccination cards. Some of these cards were reportedly exchanged for cash or donations to a chosen charity.
The charges included conspiracy to defraud the government and illegal handling of federal property.
On Saturday, Acting U.S. Attorney for Utah, Felice John Viti, filed a motion to dismiss the case, stating the decision was “in the interests of justice.” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the move in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so,” Bondi wrote. “He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. It ends today.”
The trial had begun earlier in the week in Salt Lake City with jury selection and was expected to last about 15 days.
Federal officials and Moore have not commented publicly since the dismissal.
The indictment, issued in January 2023, also accused Moore’s group of giving saline injections to children at the request of their parents, so the children would believe they had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health Secretary and a longtime critic of vaccines, supported Moore in April, calling him courageous in a post on social media. Kennedy has drawn criticism for questioning the safety of vaccines, including those for COVID-19 and childhood illnesses.
Bondi also noted on Saturday that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, brought the case to her attention.
You Might Also Like
Surge in Nicotine Poisoning Among Babies and Toddlers Alarms Experts
Scientists Develop First mRNA Vaccine Against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Tips for Nourishing the Spleen and Stomach in Early Summer Heat
