Dr. Vincent Munster, a renowned Dutch virologist recognized for contributions to Covid vaccine development, is under investigation by U.S. federal authorities. He faces charges for allegedly conspiring to smuggle vials containing deactivated mpox and other biological substances into the United States in January.
The charges were detailed in a criminal complaint recently unveiled. At 53, Dr. Munster directs the virus ecology section at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, part of the National Institutes of Health in Montana.
A research assistant, Claude Kwe, 38, from Cameroon, accompanying Dr. Munster during the trip, also faces similar charges. Both were detained at Detroit airport after returning from the Republic of Congo, where they were engaged in mpox epidemic research, according to prosecutors in the Eastern District of Michigan.
In recent weeks, right-wing influencer Laura Loomer has intensified focus on the incident, alleging a cover-up attempt by the institute. Her campaign has elevated Dr. Munster’s case to a conservative cause célèbre.
The controversy has further fueled criticism from the White Coat Waste Project, an animal rights group that initially brought the investigation to public attention through a whistleblower report. The group portrays Dr. Munster as a national security risk due to what it claims are taxpayer-funded scientific experiments on animals that involve “reckless, cruel experiments on primates and bats.”
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