2 scientists charged with bringing deactivated mpox virus into the US and lying to authorities
ABC7 Los Angeles • • general
Key Points:
- Two U.S. government scientists, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, were charged with smuggling vials of deactivated mpox virus into the U.S. from Africa and lying to investigators at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
- They were stopped in January after returning from the Republic of Congo, where a recent mpox outbreak caused over 2,000 deaths; both failed to declare or obtain permission for carrying the biological materials.
- The FBI revealed Munster denied carrying biological samples despite tests confirming the presence of deactivated mpox virus, and he falsely claimed to have necessary documentation.
- The National Institutes of Health, overseeing their lab, stated it is cooperating with the ongoing investigation but provided limited information due to personnel matters.
- Mpox, a virus causing rash and fever, was historically confined to Central and West Africa but spread globally in 2022, with new transmission routes identified, including sexual contact.