SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment on January 11, 2023, against a Utah plastic surgeon, his medical corporation, and three co-defendants, including his neighbor, with conspiring to defraud the United States. United by issuing fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination record cards.
According to court documents, Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., 58, of Salt Lake County, Utah, and his co-defendants, listed below, including his neighbor, executed a scheme by the Institute of Plastic Surgery of Utah Inc. to defraud the United States and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The defendants allegedly destroyed at least $28,028.50 worth of government-provided COVID-19 vaccines and distributed at least 1,937 fake vaccination record cards to others in exchange for direct cash payments or required “donations” to a specified charity.
According to court documents, the defendants also administered saline injections to minors, at the request of their parents, so that the children would think they were receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
“By allegedly falsifying immunization cards and administering saline injections to children instead of COVID-19 vaccines, this provider not only endangered the health and well-being of a vulnerable population, but also undermined the public trust and the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable bad guys who are trying to illegally profit from the pandemic.”
“This defendant allegedly used his medical profession to administer bogus vaccines to unsuspecting individuals, including children who faked a sense of security,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Miller, HSI Las Vegas. “HSI remains committed to working with our partners to bring to justice those who seek to take advantage of the pandemic to deliberately harm and mislead others for their own gain.”
Utah Institute of Plastic Surgery, Inc., Michael Kirk Moore Jr., Kari Dee Burgoyne, 52, Kristin Jackson Andersen, 59, and Sandra Flores, 31, are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States ; conspiracy to convert, sell, transfer and dispose of government property; and conversion, sale, transfer and disposition of government property and aid and abetment.
The defendants’ initial arraignment is scheduled for January 26, 2023 at 2 p.m. United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The Office of the Inspector General, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Todd C. Bouton, Jacob Strain, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko Jepson, District of Utah, are prosecuting the case.
