A Wisconsin pharmacist and admitted conspiracy theorist has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges after being accused of purposely trying to ruin hundreds of doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Steven Brandenburg confessed he'd intentionally, on two consecutive overnight shifts in late December, taken 57 vials of the vaccine—enough doses for more than 500 people—out of refrigeration at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton and left them out, possibly rendering them ineffective. More than 50 people were vaccinated with the tampered doses, though officials say that doesn't pose any safety risk. Per NBC News, Brandenburg, 46, will now plead guilty to two counts of attempting to tamper with consumer products with reckless disregard, according to the Justice Department. CBS News reports that Brandenburg hasn't formally pleaded guilty, but that he intends to, per the agreement.
The plea agreement notes that Brandenburg had fallen prey to different "conspiracy theories"—including that the COVID vaccine could alter people's DNA, Grafton police say—and believed in ideas of "alternative history," per WISN. For years, he'd also revealed his beliefs about vaccines to co-workers, and he was especially wary of the Moderna COVID vaccine, the DOJ says. Brandenburg was said to have been under a lot of stress from an upcoming divorce and child custody issues, and in court documents filed just days after he left the vials out, his estranged wife said she feared for her kids' safety, especially after her 6-year-old daughter told her after a visit to Brandenburg's home that "this is not our home, heaven is our home." Brandenburg faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge. He's also been fired and had his pharmacist license suspended by the state. (More coronavirus vaccine stories.)
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