Utahn manufactured fake COVID-19 vaccination cards, according to the Justice Department
Counterfeit tickets were sold primarily in New York City, officials say.
(Department of Justice) Nicholas Frank Sciotto, 32, of Salt Lake City, sent this image of stacks of COVID-19 index cards to a contact via Facebook Messenger in March 2021, according to a federal indictment. Sciotto and a South Carolina man were charged with allegedly manufacturing, selling and distributing at least 120,000 fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.
A Utah man has been charged in a COVID-19 scheme in which he allegedly manufactured, sold and distributed more than 100,000 fake vaccination cards.
Nicholas Frank Sciotto, 32, of Weber County, was indicted along with Kyle Blake Burbage, 32, of Goose Creek, SC, on one charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Court documents show that between March and September 2021, Sciotto opened and operated an online business selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.
Most of the buyers of the counterfeit cards lived in New York City, charges explain, where strict COVID-19 guidelines were in place.
In all, officials believe Sciotto manufactured and sold at least 120,000 fake vaccination cards.
Sciotto sold most of the fake vaccination cards through Facebook, court documents report, where he charged $10 each for orders of 10 or more cards and $7.50 for orders of 100 or more cards, plus shipping.
Court documents explain that after convincing a local printer he was with an authentic organization, Sciotto posted a photo to social media of “at least four boxes full of COVID-19 vaccination cards” and said, “Just tell me how many you need. DM me.’”
A photo showing a table full of fake vaccination cards was provided to Fox 13 News by the Justice Department.
Burbage, the co-conspirator in the case, allegedly bought the counterfeit cards before reselling and distributing them in South Carolina, documents say.
“By collectively manufacturing, selling, and distributing thousands of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination card cards to others during the COVID-19 pandemic, the defendants materially violated the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccination program and other state health and safety regulations and protocols undermine. According to a press release from the Justice Department.
Sciotto is scheduled to make his first court appearance in Utah on Thursday afternoon.
This story was first published by fox 13. The Salt Lake Tribune and Fox 13 are content sharing partners.
