David M. Morens, Concealing Records, Maryland 2023
Former NIAID Official Charged with Concealing Records
Greenbelt, Maryland - A former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) employee is facing indictment for his role in a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in connection with COVID-19 research grants.
David M. Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, is charged with conspiracy against the United States; destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations; concealment, removal, or mutilation of records; and aiding and abetting.
As a senior advisor in NIAID’s Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022, Morens counseled Senior NIAID Official 1 and other senior-level NIAID staff on senior-level policies, developed recommendations and solutions for issues impacting the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and wrote and edited manuscripts.
According to the indictment, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, Co-Conspirator 2, and others conspired during the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud and commit several offenses against the United States after NIH terminated Co-Conspirator 1’s grant. NIH terminated the grant following a review of the grantee’s research, which revealed issues with the grantee’s qualifications and the scope of the research.
Morens allegedly engaged in the illegal obfuscation of his communications, including concealing information and falsifying records in an effort to suppress alternative theories regarding the origins of COVID-19. Government officials have a solemn duty to provide honest, well-grounded facts and advice in service of the public interest—not to advance their own personal or ideological agendas.
“These allegations represent a profound abuse of trust at a time when the American people needed it most—during the height of a global pandemic,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Morens and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed information and falsified records in an effort to suppress alternative theories regarding the origins of COVID-19.”
Morens is currently facing indictment and will face justice for his alleged crimes.
Defendant: David M. Morens
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy against the United States; destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations; concealment, removal, or mutilation of records; and aiding and abetting
City and State: Greenbelt, Maryland
Exact Date: Not specified
Sentence or Outcome: Currently facing indictment
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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