David Morens, former NIAID adviser, pleads guilty in COVID-19 records scheme
August 18, 2026 / 4:03 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- David Morens, a former NIAID senior adviser, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses and defraud the U.S.
- The charges stem from a scheme to hide federal records related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including communications about the virus's origins and a terminated grant.
- Morens used his personal Gmail account instead of his official NIH account to evade public records laws.
- He exchanged emails with two co-conspirators, identified as the president of EcoHealth Alliance, Peter Daszak, and another physician/scientist.
- Court filings suggest Morens shared back-channel information with an unidentified senior NIAID official, appearing to be Anthony Fauci.
- Morens admitted to receiving two bottles of wine from a co-conspirator as an illegal gratuity.
- Congressional Republicans have been investigating the pandemic's origins and Fauci's handling of the situation.
- Both Morens and Fauci testified before congressional committees in 2024.
- Fauci distanced himself from Morens' actions, stating Morens was not his adviser and acknowledging his violations of agency policy.
- Anthony Fauci has faced continued scrutiny from Republicans, with recent public disclosures of his text messages and diary entries, and invoking the Fifth Amendment before a Senate panel.