Fauci前助手David Morens就规避信息公开和共谋欺诈政府两项罪名认罪
Fauci adviser David Morens pleads guilty to avoiding records requests, conspiracy to defraud government
前NIAID高级官员、Fauci长期助手David Morens周二就规避《信息自由法》请求披露和共谋欺诈政府两项罪名认罪。法院文件显示他与至少一名同谋使用非政府渠道沟通并利用影响力推进某公司利益，其中一人身份描述与EcoHealth Alliance时任总裁Peter Daszak吻合但未受指控；Morens最高可面临五年监禁和25万美元罚款，量刑定于11月12日。
发生了什么
David Morens, former senior NIAID official and longtime adviser to Anthony Fauci, pleaded guilty on August 18, 2026 to charges including conspiracy to defraud the government and concealing records to avoid Freedom of Information Act requests. According to court filings, Morens conspired with at least one other individual to evade public disclosure law and to use his influence to advance the interests of an unnamed company, directing a co-conspirator to keep messages off government phones and email, and receiving wine along with offers of future high-end restaurant meals. One co-conspirator's description matches that of EcoHealth Alliance's then-president Peter Daszak, who has not been charged. The offense carries up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines, with sentencing scheduled for November 12.
为什么重要
The plea turns prior indictment and Congressional scrutiny into a concrete criminal conviction, intensifying legal pressure on the network around Fauci even though Fauci was not named in the indictment. For the biopharma and NIH community, it shows how off-channel communications with external organizations, when entangled with FOIA obligations and advocacy over grants, can be prosecuted as conspiracy rather than treated as procedural violations. The development lands just after a Senate vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress over his invocation of the Fifth Amendment, meaning political exposure and legal exposure on the federal Covid-19 response are moving in parallel.
还缺什么
The identities of the unnamed co-conspirators and the unnamed company beyond the description matching Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance remain undisclosed, and whether additional individuals will be charged is待确认. Whether Morens will cooperate in any proceeding that reaches Fauci or other former NIAID officials is also待确认. The November 12 sentencing, any follow-up from the Senate contempt action against Fauci, and any enforcement steps against EcoHealth Alliance or related entities are the next observable milestones.
来源：文献与产业新闻 · statnews.com