Federal authorities have dismissed allegations against a physician in Utah accused of forging Covid-19 vaccination documents.
In a controversial move, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has dropped the federal charges against Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., a Utah plastic surgeon accused of falsifying COVID-19 vaccine records and destroying vaccines, on July 12, 2025.
Dr. Moore had been charged with conspiracy to obstruct the federal COVID-19 vaccination program and destroying government property after allegedly distributing fake vaccination cards while discarding actual vaccines, according to prosecutors. The case was framed as an obstruction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccination program.
The charges were initially brought against Dr. Moore and his associates in 2023, and the case has since been highly scrutinized by high-profile Republican leaders, including US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal critic of vaccines. Kennedy Jr. has been a prominent figure in the scrutiny of Dr. Moore's case.
The announcement about Dr. Moore's case has been a topic of interest among high-profile Republican leaders, including Sen. Mike Lee, who has been advocating to end the alleged weaponization of government in this case. The case has also been a focus for the MAGA base, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene bringing the case to Attorney General Pam Bondi's attention.
The charges were related to the destruction of over $28,000 worth of government-provided Covid-19 vaccines and the distribution of nearly two thousand fraudulent vaccination cards. However, the charges were dismissed amidst considerable controversy. The announcement came amid increased anger among the GOP base over Bondi's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, with calls for her to resign.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the drop of charges on Saturday, stating on platform X that Dr. Moore did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. The timing and political context suggest the decision was influenced by the current polarized climate surrounding government vaccine mandates and political alliances.
While official DOJ statements did not explicitly connect the case dismissal to the Epstein files controversy, the dismissal has been linked to Republican backing and the involvement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy Jr. has been a vocal advocate against vaccines, dismissing all members of The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee last month.
CNN's Evan Perez contributed to the report about the case, and the development has sparked a heated debate among lawmakers and the public about the role of politics in the justice system. The DOJ's decision to drop the charges against Dr. Moore raises questions about the integrity of the legal process and the potential for political influence in criminal cases.
In the wake of political scrutiny from high-profile Republican leaders, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Sen. Mike Lee, the Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped federal charges against Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., a Utah plastic surgeon accused of crimes related to health-and-wellness and science ( specifically, falsifying COVID-19 vaccine records and destroying vaccines). This decision has been a source of general-news, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene bringing the case to Attorney General Pam Bondi's attention. The controversy has also been fueled by the ongoing crime-and-justice debate, as the dismissal has been linked to political backing and Kennedy Jr.'s vocal opposition to vaccines. The case has further provoked a heated discussion among lawmakers and the public about the role of politics in the justice system, calling into question the integrity of the legal process and the potential for political influence in criminal cases.
