A pharmacist in Chicago, Illinois, was arrested on Tuesday and accused of selling COVID-19 vaccination cards on eBay.
Tangtang Zhao, 34, reportedly sold over 125 authentic cards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to 12 different buyers from March 25 thru April 11. In total, Zhao made over $1,000, charging roughly $9 per card, according to the court indictment released by the Department of Justice.
Zhao has been charged with 12 counts of theft of government property, and if found guilty, faces up to 10 years in prison.
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Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie Jr., of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, condemned Zhao and his practices, saying his actions put “millions of Americans at risk of serious injury or death.”
“To put such a small price on the safety of our nation is not only an insult to those who are doing their part in the fight to stop COVID-19, but a federal crime with serious consequences,” Buie Jr. added.
Zhao’s arrest follows the arrest of a naturopathic doctor in California last month, who is accused of creating and distributing falsified COVID-19 vaccine cards. A growing number of e-commerce sites, including Etsy and Amazon, have also been homes for groups attempting to sell fake cards, according to NPR.
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The distribution and selling of these cards stems from a growing number of workplaces and schools that are requiring employees and students to get vaccinated, as this summer saw an increased number of COVID-19 cases and the more spreadable delta variant. Over 600 universities are requiring students to get vaccinated before the fall 2021 semester, according to BestColleges.com.
