The Wisconsin pharmacist who intentionally sabotaged hundreds of doses of Moderna coronavirus vaccine because he thought COVID-19 was a scam, also believes that the earth is flat and the sky is actually a “shield put in place by the government to prevent individuals to see God. ”
This is in accordance with a newly sealed FBI search warrant obtained by The Daily Beast, which the office filed earlier this month seeking permission to scan an iPhone, laptop and memory unit confiscated from Steven. Brandenburg when he was arrested in late December.
Federal authorities accused Brandenburg, 46, of intentionally destroying 570 doses of vaccine by twice removing a box containing vials from a refrigerator at the Advocate Aurora Health Systems in Grafton, WI, where he worked the night shift. Brandenburg knew this could damage the vaccine, which can only survive for up to 12 hours outside of refrigeration, prosecutors said. The damaged doses with which Brandenburg handled were subsequently administered to at least 57 patients.
The warrant, filed in federal court by FBI Special Agent Lindsay Schloemer, shows that Brandenburg’s illusions far outweighed doubts about the reality of the coronavirus. Not only did Brandenburg insist that the “microchip” vaccine would “stop controlling people’s births and make others infertile,” he was convinced that the physical world around him was not what it seemed, a researcher told investigators.
“Some of Brandenburg’s conspiracy theories [the coworker] about included: the earth is flat; the sky is not real, rather it is a shield placed by the government to prevent individuals from seeing God; and Judgment Day is coming, ”the 26-page file reads.
The co-worker, identified in the document as a pharmacy technician Sarah Sticker, told authorities that Brandenburg was carrying a .45-caliber weapon at work, which he said he needed “if the army came to pick him up. ”. Police confiscated several firearms from the Brandenburg house on New Year’s Eve.
Sticker, who was the one who discovered the vaccines that Brandenburg took out of the refrigerator on December 24 and 25, told investigators that Brandenburg tried to “prevent her from guilt” after learning that he had handed her over.
“If I lose this job, I lose my children,” Brandenburg was quoted as saying by Sticker, who said he feared Brandenburg would become “desperate” or “messy.”
Sticker, who could not be reached for comment, also told investigators that he saw Brandenburg researching the vaccine on his work computer, looking to see if there was a mechanism on the boxes to monitor the temperature of the ampoules.
“My actions have been inexcusable and I deeply apologize for the harm I have caused.”
– Steven Brandenburg
When interviewed by law enforcement, Brandenburg first tried to explain what he had done as a simple mistake. He said his attempt to make vaccine doses ineffective was “a spontaneous act” and that he “did not think directly because of what was happening in his life.”
“Investigators asked how it could be a spontaneous act when Brandenburg did it two days in a row,” says the warrant. “Brandenburg had no answer.”
In a subsequent interview, followed by an e-mail included in the request for a warrant, Brandenburg confessed that he had in fact damaged the vaccines because he believed they would “change the recipient’s DNA”. He also explained that he was in the middle of a “very controversial divorce” and that he was not sleeping properly.
“My actions have been inexcusable and I deeply apologize for the harm I have caused,” Brandenburg wrote.
According to divorce files analyzed by WISN, affiliated with ABC News in Milwaukee, Brandenburg’s wife, Gretchen, told a judge that her husband stores bulk food and weapons in several rental units, fearing that the government is planning attacks on the network. electrical and computer networks of the nation. She said she was so scared for the safety of herself and her children that she left town.
Last week, Brandenburg – who was fired from his job – agreed to plead guilty to two counts of attempting to handle consumer products recklessly and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $ 250,000 fine for each charge. His lawyer, Jason Baltz, did not respond to a request for comment. Brandenburg is due to return to court on February 9.