EFFORTS to assist a naturopath to produce fake COVID-19 vaccination cards have cost a Californian pharmacist her job.
Former Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Hospital Director of Pharmacy, Ranna Shamiya, was one of three people US Department of Justice prosecutors believe assisted naturopath, Juli Mazi, to sell falsified vaccination records and dodgy "COVID cures" North Bay Business Journal reported.
The Department alleged that Shamiya used her position to find legitimate lot numbers for authorised COVID-19 vaccines, which she passed on to Mazi.
The naturopath then used the numbers to produce fake vaccination cards, so her patients could falsely claim to have been immunised.
If convicted Shamiya could face up to five years behind bars, a US$250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Reflecting on the investigation a spokesperson for the hospital said it was "a legal matter, and it's disappointing".
"I would note that at no point did this jeopardise our commitment to the safety of our patients," the spokesperson said.
"This is not a patient-facing charge she's accused of."
Meanwhile, Mazi has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and a further charge of providing false statements related to healthcare matters.
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