Former Fauci Adviser Pleads Guilty to Hiding COVID-19 Records in Conspiracy Case

David Morens, a former senior adviser to Anthony Fauci, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to evade public records laws and conceal government documents connected to COVID-19 research and grant funding.

Morens entered his guilty plea Tuesday in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. The 78-year-old previously served as a senior official at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal prosecutors accused Morens of participating in a scheme to keep government records out of public view after the agency began receiving records requests in 2020 concerning COVID-19 research grants.

The case raises serious questions about transparency inside the federal government during one of the most controversial periods in recent American history.

Instead of simply preserving and producing government records as required, prosecutors say Morens and others worked to circumvent public-records requirements.

Morens was indicted in April and now faces up to five years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for November 12.

The guilty plea adds another major development to the growing scrutiny surrounding COVID-era research, government transparency and the officials responsible for handling sensitive pandemic records.

The Meridian will continue following the case and the questions surrounding the government's handling of COVID-19 records.