KEY POINTS:
- Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered dismissal of all federal charges against Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., a Utah plastic surgeon accused of destroying $28,000 worth of COVID vaccines and issuing nearly 2,000 fake vaccination cards
- The dismissal came mid-trial at the request of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, with Bondi crediting the Georgia congresswoman for bringing the case to her attention
- The decision occurs as Bondi faces intense criticism from both political parties over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and other Justice Department matters
- Moore faced up to 35 years in prison on charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States and destroying government property
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had publicly supported Moore, calling him deserving of “a medal for his courage”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi abruptly dismissed federal charges Saturday against a Utah plastic surgeon accused of orchestrating a COVID-19 vaccine fraud scheme, ending his criminal trial after just one week of proceedings.
Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., 58, of Midvale, Utah, had been charged with destroying more than $28,000 worth of government-provided COVID-19 vaccines and distributing at least 1,937 fraudulent vaccination cards without administering vaccines, according to CBS News and court documents. Federal prosecutors alleged Moore and his co-defendants also administered saline shots to children at their parents’ request so the minors would believe they had been vaccinated, as reported by NBC News.
“Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so,” Bondi stated in a social media post announcing the dismissal, according to multiple news outlets including The Hill and ABC News. “He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. It ends today.”
Acting U.S. Attorney for Utah Felice John Viti filed the dismissal motion Saturday, stating “such dismissal is in the interests of justice,” according to NBC News and the Salt Lake Tribune.
Political Pressure and Timing
The dismissal followed direct intervention from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, who had called for dropping the charges just five days earlier. According to MSNBC and The Hill, Bondi specifically credited Greene for bringing the case to her attention, with the attorney general calling Greene “a warrior for Dr. Moore and for ending the weaponization of government.”
Greene celebrated the decision on social media, calling Moore “a hero who refused to inject his patients with a government mandated unsafe vaccine,” as reported by CBS News and The Hill.
The timing of Bondi’s intervention has drawn scrutiny as it coincides with mounting criticism of her performance from conservative activists. According to CNN, Fox News and other outlets, Bondi has faced fierce backlash from Trump’s base over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, with some prominent MAGA supporters calling for her resignation.
“It’s quite a coincidence that the attorney general scrambled to intervene in a case important to the far-right fringe just as she was looking to improve her standing with the far-right fringe,” MSNBC’s Steve Benen noted in his analysis.
The Criminal Case
Moore and three co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. The charges included conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to convert government property, and aiding and abetting those efforts.
According to federal prosecutors cited by multiple outlets, Moore signed a CDC vaccination program provider agreement in May 2021 to receive COVID-19 vaccines for his Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah. Prosecutors alleged the defendants then destroyed government-provided vaccines and distributed fraudulent vaccination cards in exchange for either direct cash payments of $50 each or required donations to a charitable organization, as reported by CBS News and court documents.
The trial had begun Monday in Salt Lake City with jury selection and was expected to last 15 days before Bondi’s intervention, according to the Salt Lake Tribune and ABC News.
Political Support and Opposition
Moore’s case attracted significant political support from Utah officials critical of pandemic restrictions. Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, appeared at a rally supporting Moore as the trial began, calling the charges “government overreach,” according to the Utah News Dispatch.
“The way those of us stood up and pushed back were treated was wrong,” Schultz told supporters at the courthouse, as reported by the Utah News Dispatch. “We were treated like second-class citizens if we didn’t get the shot.”
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also praised Bondi’s decision, stating he had raised the issue with the attorney general and was “grateful that she was willing to help,” according to Fox 13 and The Hill.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has questioned vaccine safety, had posted support for Moore in April, saying Moore “deserves a medal for his courage and his commitment to healing,” as reported by ABC News, NBC News and STAT News.
Legal Response
Moore’s attorneys issued a statement calling the dismissal “the right decision — and the just one,” according to KUTV and the Utah News Dispatch.
“The Attorney General’s decision to dismiss all charges before the trial concluded reflects what the evidence has shown all along: that our clients did not commit a crime,” the attorneys stated. “They honored the personal medical choices of their patients. They never received a dollar in return. And no unexpired vaccines were ever destroyed.”
Two of Moore’s former employees had previously accepted plea agreements. According to KSL.com, Kari Dee Burgoyne entered a plea agreement for a misdemeanor charge, while Sandra Flores entered into a diversion agreement. Both had been scheduled to testify against Moore during the trial.
Broader Implications
The dismissal represents what Newsweek called “a significant early policy shift” by the Trump administration regarding COVID-19 vaccine enforcement. The decision comes as Bondi faces intense scrutiny over multiple issues, including her department’s recent memo denying the existence of a Jeffrey Epstein “client list,” which prompted backlash from Trump supporters, according to CNN, Fox News and other outlets.
President Donald Trump defended Bondi over the weekend amid the criticism, writing on Truth Social that she is doing “a FANTASTIC JOB,” as reported by CNN and NBC News. However, the attorney general’s standing within the administration remains uncertain following what MSNBC characterized as her apparent attempt to shore up support among conservative critics through the Moore case dismissal.
The charges against Moore had been brought during the Biden administration as part of broader efforts to prosecute COVID-19 vaccine fraud, according to multiple outlets.
