A former senior federal health official from Maryland is facing federal charges for allegedly hiding government records from public view during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What’s happening: David M. Morens, a 78-year-old Chester resident, was indicted on charges of conspiracy against the United States, destruction or falsification of federal records, concealment of federal records, and aiding and abetting. Morens worked as a senior advisor in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022.
What’s confirmed: According to the indictment, Morens and at least two other people agreed to use his personal Gmail account instead of his official government email to hide their communications from Freedom of Information Act requests. FOIA is a federal law that gives the public the right to request government records.
The indictment says the scheme began after the National Institutes of Health terminated a grant called “Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence.” The grant had been awarded to an outside company and its leader, identified only as Co-Conspirator 1, who had made a sub-award to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.
According to the indictment, Morens and the others used the personal email account to share non-public NIH information, discuss efforts to influence NIH funding decisions, and exchange drafts of letters to NIH leadership.
What’s alleged: The indictment also accuses Morens and Co-Conspirator 1 of exchanging illegal gratuities. It says Co-Conspirator 1 sent Morens wine as a gift and suggested future meals at high-end restaurants in Paris, New York, and Washington. The indictment says Morens then identified an official act he could perform to justify receiving the gift.
By the numbers: If convicted, Morens faces up to five years for conspiracy, up to 20 years for each count of records falsification, and up to three years for each count of records concealment. Federal sentences are typically lower than the maximum allowed by law.
What’s still unknown: The indictment does not name the senior NIAID official Morens reportedly briefed, the company that received the grant, or the two co-conspirators by name. It is not clear whether charges have been filed against anyone else connected to the alleged scheme.
Morens has not been found guilty of any crime. An indictment is a formal accusation, not a verdict.
