British scientist plotted with senior US health official to shut down Covid lab leak theory, court documents allege

US court documents allege that British scientist Dr Peter Daszak, former president of EcoHealth Alliance, conspired with a senior American health official to suppress the theory that Covid-19 originated from a laboratory leak in Wuhan. The claims centre on David Morens, a former adviser to Dr Anthony Fauci at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who this week pleaded guilty to evading public records laws and concealing government documents related to the pandemic's origins.

Documents allege Dr Daszak sent Morens wine and Michelin-starred dinners in gratitude for "behind the scenes shenanigans", while Morens reportedly offered to get Daszak's research "re-funded" and later published an article arguing the virus had natural origins. Morens, 78, faces up to five years in prison, while Dr Daszak currently faces no charges. Emails from 2020 also suggested the pair discussed deleting correspondence to avoid leaving "smoking guns" amid freedom of information requests, according to material released by a US House oversight committee in 2024.