COLUMBUS, Ohio (WRIC) — A federal court in Ohio has issued a permanent injunction to a Columbus-area woman, requiring her to cease her operation of producing and selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.
In a civil complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the government alleged that Tiffany Keller, 39, of Junction City, Ohio, illegally produced and sold fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards.
The complaint alleged that Keller advertised her services on a blog that discussed how to make fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards. Keller offered to print fake cards for $40 per card and ship them to paying customers via priority mail. She sold more than 77 fake cards.
“Manufacturing and selling fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards can undermine critical public health measures and put the health of Americans at risk,” said Acting Chief Counsel Robert DeConti of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to illegally profit from the pandemic.”
It is a violation of federal law for individuals to reproduce, reprint, or distribute any item consisting of a form, application, or other publication of the United States Department of Health. HHS-OIG is authorized to impose a civil money penalty of up to $11,506 for each violation.
Under the terms of the consent decree and final judgment, Keller admitted that the allegations in the complaint are true. She agreed to be permanently enjoined from, among other things, reproducing, reprinting, distributing and selling fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards.
If Keller ever violates the terms of the consent decree, she will be liable for $442,981 in civil money penalties.
Information about fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards can be reported to authorities by calling 800-447-5477. Anyone with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form found here.
