Fauci Colleague Who Bragged 'I Learned… How to Make Emails Disappear' Pleads Guilty in COVID Scheme to Keep Public in Dark
A former associate of Dr. Anthony Fauci has pleaded guilty to charges he was involved in misconduct to hide information from the public that was connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. David Morens, a former senior adviser at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, had been 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, according to Department of Justice news release
He could face a sentence of five years in prison
The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Morens had pleaded guilty on Thursday.
In 2024, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic learned Morens used his personal email to discuss National Institutes of Health grants with EcoHealth Alliance, according to The Hill. Doing so meant his communications could not be revealed through Freedom of Information requests.
In one communication, Morens wrote to EcoHealth President Peter Daszak, “I can either send stuff to Tony on his private gmail, 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.”
Long-time Fauci ally pleads guilty. Could his plea involve implicating Anthony Fauci?
District of Maryland | Former Senior NIAID Official Pleads Guilty to Charges Connected to Concealing Federal Records During COVID-19 Pandemic | United States DoJ https://t.co/9cpTjERjuC
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) August 18, 2026
In 2021, Morens wrote, “i learned from our foia lady here how to make emails disappear after i am foia’d but before the search starts, so i think we are all safe,”
Morens also wrote, “Plus i deleted most of those earlier emails after sending them to gmail.”
Fauci has tried to put distance between himself and Morens.
“With respect to his recent testimony before this subcommittee, I knew nothing of Dr. Morens’s actions regarding Dr. Daszak, EcoHealth or his emails. It is important to point out for the record that despite his title, and even though he was helpful to me in writing scientific papers, Dr. Morens was not an advisor to me on [NIAID] policy, or other substantive issues,” Fauci said
“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 said at the time Morens was indicted, according to a DOJ release.
“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. 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,” he said,
EX-FAUCI ADVISOR PLEADS GUILTY: WHAT’S IN THE SEALED SUPPLEMENT?
– Typically a sealed supplement details any cooperation agreement by the defendant (In this case Morens, against co-conspirators) or no cooperation agreement exists.
– “Sealed” means NOT available to the public,… pic.twitter.com/KHZddP08k4
— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) August 18, 2026
“Not only did Morens allegedly engage in the illegal obfuscation of his communications, but he received kickbacks for doing so. If you have engaged in activity conspiring against the United States, we will not stop until you face justice,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in April when Morens was indicted.
“When public officials deliberately circumvent the law to hide their communications from the public, they undermine the public’s trust and the integrity of our institutions. This was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic when transparency was needed most,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Our office will continue to hold accountable those who seek to evade their legal obligations for their own gain.”
“Public officials who disregard their legal obligations undermine the transparency that keeps our federal programs strong. The deliberate mishandling and concealment of records in a federal investigation is not just a breach of duty, it is a betrayal of public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus L. Sykes of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
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