On Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest of a physician for a plan to provide fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards. The case is the first federal criminal fraud prosecution related to homeoprophylaxis immunizations and fraudulent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record cards. Homeopathic doctor Juli A. Mazi, licensed in California, is accused of scheming to sell homeoprophylaxis immunization pellets and to falsify COVID-19 vaccination cards by making it appear that customers had received the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Moderna vaccine.
Homeopathic medicines, according to the DOJ, are created on a theory that ingestion to a small dose of an irritant or other substance will build up immunity to larger doses. The FDA has said that it does not reviiew and has not approved any homeopathic products.
As a proponent of this treatment, the homeopathic doctor spread misinformation and rumors regarding the safety and efficacy of the FDA approved vaccinations, then, preying upon the fears incited by the rumors, provided pills containing the viral material, the DOJ claimed. The homeopathic doctor also provided the official Center for Disease Control immunization card falsely showing that the patient had received the Moderna vaccination and instructed patients to complete the dates on the card with the date that they had ingested the pills. She also provided the pills to patients who would not have been eligible to receive the vaccination per the CDC guidelines.
The homeopathic doctor is also accused of having falsified other vaccination verification methods used by the State of California for school immunization records. This included supplying the homeopathic pills as well as submitting fraudulent immunization forms.
Juli Mazi is charged with one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1035.
