Fauci Adviser Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the US During COVID

On the heels of Dr. Anthony Fauci being held in contempt of Congress, his senior adviser, Dr. David Morens, pleaded guilty to concealing federal records related to research on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, he faced charges that included destruction or falsification of federal records and other offenses that would have carried up to 20 years in prison per count. However, under his plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years.

Who Is Dr. David Morens?

From 2006 to 2022, Morens, 78, worked as a senior adviser in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Office of the Director, which was headed by Fauci for most of the time. He wasn't a low-level NIAID employee. Morens advised top agency officials on infectious diseases and policy, gathered information from researchers and federal grant recipients, and helped brief NIAID leadership on COVID-19 and coronavirus research. However, his text messages have been under scrutiny for years, since Morens wrote in his 2021 emails about using his Gmail account instead of his government email to avoid Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

One of Morens’ emails was quoted in a 2023 oversight letter sent by five Republican senators — Roger Marshall (KS), Charles Grassley (IA), Joni Ernst (IA), Mike Lee (UT), and Marsha Blackburn (TN) — to then-Surgeon General Vivek Murthy:

“As you know, I try to always communicate on gmail because my NIH email is FOIA'D constantly. Yesterday my gmail was hacked, probably by these GoF [expletive], and until IT can get it fixed I may have to occasionally email from my NIH account. IT spent a couple hours today but couldn't fix it. Stuff sent to my gmail gets to my phone, but not my NIH computer.”

The senators were concerned about several things, including how Morens addressed some of the people in his emails as “colleagues.” But they weren’t necessarily NIH employees; some, in fact, were scientists receiving NIH funding. The letter specifically named Peter Daszak, who headed EcoHealth Alliance.

The senators asked whether it was appropriate for a senior NIH adviser to privately seek advice from people who received NIH grants, particularly when they might have financial interests in decisions being made by the agency.

Free with the Daily Briefing

85Essays

Unravel the Constitution

Hamilton, Madison & Jay’s complete case for America, free and searchable in the Publius Reader.

Join Free & Read

Free with the Daily Briefing. Unsubscribe anytime.

Because Daszak headed EcoHealth Alliance, the lawmakers expressed concern about the relationship between Daszak and Morens; the two had known each other professionally for years and had co-authored scientific papers. Even more alarming, Daszak’s organization had received the NIH grant that had provided a subaward to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for bat coronavirus research.

Congress alleged that Morens was giving Daszak nonpublic information about what was happening inside NIH and NIAID. During the 2024 hearing, lawmakers said they had received roughly 30,000 pages of Morens’ emails and found evidence that he gave Daszak internal information while passing information from EcoHealth to senior NIH officials.

Morens also wrote about Fauci, usually referring to him as “Tony.” On a note sent to Daszak, Morens wrote that Fauci was “fully aware” of what was happening and was involved in some type of “damage control.” During a 2024 hearing, Morens was asked about a reference he made on how to contact Fauci through a “secret back channel,” which the former adviser claimed was just a joke. However, the transcript from that hearing paints a different story. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), a US representative at the time, addressed Morens, reading some of his recovered emails. “I believe earlier today you said, sir, `Tony,' meaning Tony Fauci, `does not want me to connect anything to him.’” She continued:

“The first email from you says, `P.S., I forgot to say there is no worry about FOIAs. I can either send stuff to Tony on his private email or hand it to him at work or at his house. He is too smart to let colleagues send him stuff that could cause trouble.' Next email from you said, `I suggested Arthur try to interview Tony,' meaning Tony Fauci, `directly and connected him to our secret back channel. He emailed Tony a few hours ago.' Next email from you, `I forgot to clarify in my email yesterday that both my Gmail and phone calls are now safe. Text is not as it can be FOIA-ed as can my government email, so you and Peter,'  — Peter Daszak — `and others should be able to email me on Gmail only, with the caveat that no other government employee is copied at a government address, as all government emails are potentially FOIA-able.'

“Next email from you: `This is sent from my Gmail account. Please send all replies here to Gmail. There are things I can't say except Tony is aware, and I have learned that there are ongoing efforts within NIH to steer through this with minimal damage to you, Peter, and colleagues and to NIH and NIAID.’”

In the 2026 indictment, Morens was also charged with “behind-the-scenes shenanigans” in which a co-conspirator allegedly offered gifts for favors. According to the charge, “Morens then allegedly identified an official act that he could perform to ‘deserve’ the gift, which was a scientific commentary in a prominent medical journal advocating that COVID-19 had natural origins.” The indictment also “alleges that Co-Conspirator 1 suggested he would provide Morens with additional things of value, including meals at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York, and Washington, D.C.”

Morens pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States on Aug. 18. He is due back in federal court on Nov. 12, 2026, for sentencing.

Back to Fauci

Fauci may have pleaded the Fifth 111 times, but he can’t deny what he wrote in emails and text messages that many are reviewing with disgust. The most recent revelation came in messages from “America’s Doctor” expressing concerns that the COVID vaccine could cause miscarriage, all while Fauci was publicly encouraging pregnant women to take the shot.

As Liberty Nation News author and editor Elizabeth Lawrence wrote: “During the conversation, Fauci acknowledged the vaccines could harm unborn children in the womb: ‘I asked around a bit more and another issue came up that you need to be aware of. Since many people have significant cytokine storms and fever after the 2nd dose, this theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester.’”

Perhaps the most troubling part of the Morens case isn't Gmail, FOIA, or even the emails he wanted to make "disappear." It's the breach of public trust. Morens and Fauci held influential positions at the agency Americans were looking to for answers during one of the biggest public health emergencies in modern history. Morens has now admitted deliberately helping to hide certain government communications from public view, and his emails continue to raise questions about what his longtime boss knew.