3 Vermont State Troopers Investigated Over Fake Vaccination Cards

Three Vermont state police officers accused of participating in a fake Covid-19 vaccination card program have resigned as part of a state investigation, authorities said.

Soldiers Shawn Sommers, Raymond Witkowski and David Pfindel were suspected of playing “different roles” in the production of fraudulent coronavirus vaccine cards, Vermont State Police said in a press release on Tuesday.

Mr. Sommers and Mr. Witkowski resigned on August 10, the day after another soldier raised concerns about their behavior to their superiors, police said. Mr. Pfindel resigned on September 3 following an investigation by the State Department of Public Security.

It was not initially clear on Wednesday whether the men had lawyers. The Vermont Troopers’ Association, an organization that represents soldiers, detectives and sergeants for the Vermont State Police, did not immediately respond to comment Wednesday morning.

The investigation began after other soldiers reported details of the plan to their superiors. The details, which were not released, were then “reported to federal law enforcement agencies,” police said.

“The allegations in this case involve an exceptional level of wrongdoing – a criminal violation of the law – and I couldn’t be more angry or disappointed,” said Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of Vermont State Police, in a news release.

Michael Schirling, Vermont Public Safety Officer, said: “As soon as other soldiers became aware of this situation, they raised the allegations internally and commanders took swift and decisive action to hold these people accountable and address this issue To report to federal authorities. “

State Police referred the matter to the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office in Burlington, Vt.

State Police said police were unable to release details due to an FBI investigation until Tuesday, almost a month after the first soldiers resigned, and that they would not make any further comments because of the ongoing federal investigation.

Since the pandemic began, Vermont has reported over 29,300 cases of the coronavirus and at least 282 deaths, with a recent average of 161 cases per day, according to a New York Times database. In August, Vermont Governor Phil Scott announced that some government employees working with vulnerable populations would need to be vaccinated against Covid-19. At least 68 percent of the state’s population – including 77 percent of people 12 and older – have been fully vaccinated, according to a Times database.

As companies and states reopen amid rising cases of the virus, many have requested vaccination cards as evidence that someone in the United States has been vaccinated against Covid-19. Instead of getting vaccinated, some people have falsified this evidence. In March, the Federal Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General and the FBI issued a public notice warning the public that selling counterfeit vaccination cards with a government logo on them was a crime.

In July, a homeopathic doctor in California became the first person to be charged by the federal government for selling counterfeit Covid-19 vaccination cards. And in May, the owner of a California bar was arrested on charges of selling fake Covid-19 vaccination cards.