2 NIH Scientists Face Charges Over 113 Mpox Vials, Surrender Passports
Updated
Updated · KTVH · Jun 3
2 NIH Scientists Face Charges Over 113 Mpox Vials, Surrender Passports
3 articles · Updated · KTVH · Jun 3
Summary
Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe appeared in federal court in Missoula on June 3, were released, and had to surrender their passports after a criminal complaint tied to mpox samples.
113 vials were found in a black case at Detroit airport on Jan. 25 after the Rocky Mountain Laboratory researchers allegedly denied carrying dangerous biological material following a Congo research trip during an outbreak.
The Justice Department accused the pair of conspiring to import merchandise contrary to law and making false statements to Customs; FBI testing said some vials contained deactivated mpox, which cannot infect or replicate.
NIH said it learned of the incident in January, locked down relevant lab spaces, audited materials, and found no risk to staff or the public around the Montana facility.
If convicted, the two face up to 5 years in prison as scrutiny of Rocky Mountain Laboratory intensifies after Sen. Tim Sheehy sought an investigation into its security and personnel practices.