Grand Jury Indicts Former N.I.H. Official
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Dr. David Morens, former senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci at the NIH, has been indicted for allegedly violating federal record-keeping laws and concealing emails related to the origins of the coronavirus outbreak in China.
- The Maryland district court indictment claims Morens collaborated with external scientists to protect their virus research funding, receiving “illegal gratuities” such as wine and a promised meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
- These allegations come amid years of Republican efforts to link Morens, Fauci, and the NIH to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, though no evidence has emerged implicating them in starting or spreading the virus.
- Investigations have not found proof that Morens or other health officials tried to conceal evidence of a lab leak, despite accusations that he deleted federal records from a government website.
