Doctor accused of forging vaccine cards and injecting children with saline has all charges dropped
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) under the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi has dropped all charges against a Utah-based physician—and his three alleged accomplices—who was accused of giving children saline shots instead of the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the nullified criminal complaint, Michael Kirk Moore Jr., MD, a plastic surgeon, destroyed more than $28,000 worth of COVID vaccines provided by the government, injected his patients with placebos and forged thousands of vaccine cards to cover his tracks.
According to the DOJ, Moore accepted cash kickbacks from parents in connection with the scheme, as most of those who received the saline jab were children. If convicted, he would have faced up to 35 years in prison.
Moore and his alleged co-conspirators were formally indicted in 2023, with the DOJ claiming that 1,937 doses of COVID vaccines were destroyed as part of the conspiracy.
He also reportedly accepted donations to a “specified charitable organization” as payment from those who wanted their children to receive a saline shot instead of an actual vaccine, according to the DOJ.
In abruptly announcing the dismissal of all charges, Bondi framed the incidents as Moore giving his “patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so,” writing in a post on Twitter/X that he “did not deserve the years in prison he was facing.”
“It ends today,” she added.
Criminal trial halted in early stages
Moore faced multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to convert, sell, convey and dispose of government property; and conversion, sale, conveyance and disposal of government property, as well as aiding and abetting, according to the 2023 announcement from the DOJ.
He pleaded not guilty on all counts, and his trial entered jury selection last week. Shortly after, Felice John Viti, acting U.S. attorney for Utah, filed the official withdrawal motion with the court, writing that “such dismissal is in the interests of justice.”
Alleged co-conspirators Kari Dee Burgoyne, Kristin Jackson Andersen and Sandra Flore also had all charges against them nullified in connection with the case.
Moore has been practicing medicine since graduating from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in 1993. His high-profile trial was expected to last two weeks.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.