The U.S. Justice Department has dropped all charges against Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., a plastic surgeon from Utah who had been accused of destroying COVID-19 vaccines, issuing fake vaccination cards, and administering saline shots to children at the request of their parents.
The case was dismissed on Saturday after acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti filed a motion to withdraw the charges, stating that it was being done in the interest of justice.
Dr. Moore had previously pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and fraud charges.
The allegations, first brought in 2023, claimed that he faked more than 1,900 vaccine entries in official records and charged $50 per falsified certificate.
The certificates were allegedly given without administering any actual vaccine, with payments reportedly made in cash or as donations to a specified charity.
Authorities also alleged that Moore gave saline injections to children so they would believe they had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Justice Department initially charged Moore, his medical practice—the Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah—and three others with conspiring to defraud the federal government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Pam Bondi, who now oversees the Justice Department, confirmed on social media that she ordered the charges to be dropped.
She stated that Moore gave people a choice during the pandemic, something she said the federal government did not offer.
The case gained attention after Republican lawmakers Marjorie Taylor Greene and Senator Mike Lee raised concerns about it.
Both praised the dismissal, calling it a step against government overreach during the pandemic.
Dr. Moore had faced up to 35 years in prison if convicted. The decision to end the prosecution has stirred debate, especially given ongoing discussions about public health policies and the role of government during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current U.S. Health Secretary, previously led a group that questioned vaccine safety but has since said he does not oppose vaccines Or plan to remove them.