ScienceApril 29, 2026

Indicted: A Former NIAID Adviser and Federal Records

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② Start Lesson

Key Vocabulary

indicted/ɪnˈdaɪtɪd/

Formally charged with a crime in court.

"He was indicted last month."

conspiracy/kənˈspɪrəsi/

A plan by two or more people to do something illegal.

"They were accused of a conspiracy."

records/ˈrɛkərdz/

Official documents or files kept by an organization.

"The office keeps medical records."

Listening

Indicted: A Former NIAID Adviser and Federal Records

On April 28, 2026, Dr. David Morens was indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice. Prosecutors charged him with conspiracy and with concealing and falsifying federal records.

Prosecutors say he used his personal Gmail account to hide communications about COVID-19 research. He served as a senior adviser at NIAID from 2006 through 2022. The charges include destruction and falsification of records, concealment of records, and aiding and abetting. The Justice Department says the case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG. The indictment also says he received wine as a gift and that he helped try to restore a terminated research grant. If convicted, he could face prison time. An indictment is not a finding of guilt.

117 words

Quiz

1. Who was indicted?

2. When was he indicted?

3. What did prosecutors say he used to hide communications?

Reading Practice

Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.

Discussion

Do you worry about privacy when people use personal email for work? Why or why not?

Have you ever needed a public record from a government office? What happened?

What do you think when you hear about gifts given to officials? How does it make you feel?