Pharmacist sold over 100 ‘authentic’ COVID vaccination cards on eBay, officials say
A licensed Chicago pharmacist is accused of selling authentic COVID-19 vaccination cards on eBay, leading to his arrest on related charges.
Tangtang Zhao, 34, of Chicago sold 125 COVID vaccine cards to 11 different people online, according to court documents provided by the Department of Justice. He stole the cards from the pharmacy where he worked, officials said.
The company provided a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination record card to each person who received the shot, according to a news release from the department.
Zhao then sold the authentic COVID vaccine cards for about $10 per card in March and April, court documents show.
“Knowingly selling COVID vaccination cards to unvaccinated individuals puts millions of Americans at risk of serious injury or death,” Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie Jr., of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, said in the release. “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.”
Zhao has been charged with 12 counts of theft of government property. He was arrested and made his first court appearance on Aug. 17.
“Stealing and selling COVID-19 vaccination cards is inexcusable and will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “Fraudsters who engage in such unlawful conduct undermine efforts to address the pandemic and profit at the public’s expense. The health and safety of the public is our top priority, and we encourage people to obtain vaccination cards from their administering medical providers.”
If Zhao is convicted of the charges, he’ll face 10 years in prison per count, according to the Department of Justice.
This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 12:38 PM with the headline "Pharmacist sold over 100 ‘authentic’ COVID vaccination cards on eBay, officials say."