SALT LAKE CITY — After a week inside a Salt Lake City courtroom facing charges of running a fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination card scheme during the pandemic, the case against Utah Dr. Kirk Moore has been ordered dropped by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The Attorney General ordered the U.S. Department of Justice, which she oversees, to dismiss the charges on Saturday, ending the trial that began Monday.
"Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so," claimed Bondi in a social media post. "He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing.
"It ends today."
Moore's trial came over two years after a federal grand jury indicted him, claiming he and three co-defendants ran a COVID-19 vaccine scheme out of the Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah in Midvale. Moore and the others were with the scheme, along with destroying legitimate vaccine doses, and administering saline shots to minors.
According to the indictment, the group destroyed more than $28,000 worth of legitimate COVID-19 vaccines and distributed at least 1,937 fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards.
During the trial, Moore’s former co-defendants, including Kari Burgoyne and Sandra Flores took the stand for the prosecution.
Burgoyne entered into a plea agreement to a misdemeanor charge, while Flores entered into a diversion agreement.
Bondi's decision was applauded by Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee.
“Dr. Kirk Moore stood up in the face of enormous pressure to fight against government overreach. I raised this issue with Attorney General Bondi, and am grateful that she was willing to help Dr. Moore maintain his freedom.”