A former senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci has pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge related to concealing government records concerning COVID-19 research grants. David Morens, 78, formerly of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), admitted Tuesday to conspiring to commit offenses and to defraud the United States.
Morens faces up to five years in prison following his sentencing. His defense attorney, Timothy Belevetz, stated that Morens has taken responsibility for his actions.
As part of his plea agreement, Morens acknowledged that between April 2020 and June 2023, he worked with at least two unnamed co-conspirators to obstruct government functions. This obstruction involved impeding compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Federal Records Act (FRA), particularly concerning records tied to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant for bat coronavirus research that had been terminated and subsequently restored.
Morens admitted to using a personal Gmail account for government business to shield his communications from public view and FOIA requests. He also stated that he pledged to help an alleged co-conspirator, identified as Dr. Peter Daszak, president of the EcoHealth Alliance, counter the narrative of a lab leak origin for COVID-19.
Court documents indicate that Morens and his alleged co-conspirators exchanged non-public NIH information via Gmail. They also discussed efforts to influence NIH funding for EcoHealth Alliance, shared edits for letters to NIH leadership on behalf of Daszak and the organization, and relayed information to Fauci, referred to as "Senior NIAID Official 1."
Morens further admitted that Daszak provided him with illegal gratuities, including two bottles of wine valued at approximately $40 each. The wine was sent to Morens's home as a gift for his "behind-the-scenes shenanigans," according to a June 2020 email cited in the plea. Daszak also suggested providing additional perks, such as meals at high-end restaurants.
EcoHealth Alliance received federal grants totaling $4 million in 2014 and $7.5 million in 2020. Some of these funds were directed to research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which included gain-of-function research. In January 2025, EcoHealth and Daszak were barred from receiving federal funds for five years.
FBI Director Kash Patel commented on X, stating that the bureau's investigation remains ongoing and that "No one is above the law."
Morens' guilty plea follows recent actions in Congress. Less than two weeks prior, Fauci was referred to the Justice Department for potential prosecution by the Senate Homeland Security Committee after he declined to answer questions about his pandemic response. Fauci had received a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden for potential crimes committed between January 2014 and January 2025.
During testimony before a House subcommittee on June 3, 2024, Fauci stated he was unaware of Dr. Morens's actions concerning Dr. Daszak, EcoHealth, or his emails. However, diary entries released by Senator Rand Paul suggest Fauci had private discussions with Morens about the bat coronavirus research grants.