Two California brothers were both sentenced to 36 months of probation and ordered to pay $500 dollars in restitution after pleading guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy to steal or convert government property charges stemming from the theft of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards.
In the plea agreement, both defendants admitted that between March 2021 and August 2021, they conspired to defraud the Centers for Disease Control by agreeing to sell stolen CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards to others for $50 each. Both defendants also admitted that Defendant 1 stole at least 20 CDC Vaccination Record Cards in March of 2021, that he sent his brother, Defendant 2, some of the stolen vaccination record cards, and that they agreed to use them and sell them to others for $50. Both brothers admitted that they had agreed to sell the CDC Vaccination Record Cards to several buyers for $50 each.
Assistant United States Attorney Todd Bouton from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. Special Agents from the Utah Department of Public Safety State Bureau of Investigation and US Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
Issue:
Legitimate vaccination cards are being stolen from healthcare facilities and then used in a fraudulent manner. Employees and applicants of healthcare facilities must provide truthful information regarding their vaccination status and understand the penalties for engaging in fraud. When copies of COVID-19 vaccination cards are presented by the person claiming to have completed the requirements, it is essential that the documentation is reviewed for authenticity. Participating in the fraud can result in the person(s) being prosecuted.
Discussion Points:
- Review your policies and procedures related to storage of blank vaccination cards, and staff and resident vaccination documents. Include guidance on secure storage of the vaccination cards and on verifying whether or not vaccination cards are authentic as presented to the facility. Update your policies as needed.
- Train appropriate staff to provide safekeeping of blank vaccination cards and to check for authenticity of COVID-19 vaccination records. Make sure staff understand the penalties for COVID-19 vaccination record card fraud and their responsibility to report concerns to their supervisor, compliance and ethics officer, or through the Hotline. Document that this training occurred and place the signed copy of the training record in the employee’s education file.
- Periodically audit to ensure that COVID-19 vaccination records are authentic, and that blank vaccination cards are secure and all accounted for.
