California woman first to face federal charges over fake vaccine cards

Federal prosecutors this week announced charges against a California woman who they say sold fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards and “vaccination lozenges” to patients.

Juli A. Mazi, a licensed homeopathic doctor in Napa Valley, was charged Wednesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of misrepresentation related to health issues. His represents the first federal case of fraud involving false COVID-19 inoculations and vaccination cards.

The 41-year-old is accused of telling people the lozenges contained the COVID-19 virus and would trigger an immune response. Actual COVID-19 vaccines using mRNA work in a similar way by teaching the body how to make antibodies to fight COVID-19, but they do not contain the full virus.

“This doctor has violated the overriding public trust in health care professionals at a time when integrity is most needed,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Ryan of the Ministry’s Inspector General’s office. Health and Social Services in a press release.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned of the danger of coronavirus-related misinformation on Thursday, saying it “poisons[s] our information environment.

Along with the lozenges, Mazi reportedly sent patients vaccination cards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that were already filled out with information about the Moderna vaccine – including a specific lot number – that asked people to write the date down. which they took the fraudulent pills. According to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, she claimed the treatment would result in lifelong immunity to COVID-19.

She reportedly told her clients that vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration contained “toxic ingredients.”

Mazi’s alleged scheme was brought to the attention of law enforcement in April when an anonymous person sent a tip explaining that family members bought the treatment from the doctor instead of getting the real one. vaccine.

If found guilty, she faces up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $ 250,000.

Mazi is also accused of helping parents bypass other vaccination requirements for their children through a similar program involving fraudulent drugs that allegedly contained a diluted amount of certain viruses.

According to her website, Mazi was educated at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Ore., Where she trained in “traditional medical sciences as well as ancient and modern modalities that rely on power. nature’s restorative to heal ”.

“His very presence heals,” says its website.