NEW YORK (WPIX) – Two people are accused of selling and registering about 250 fake COVID-19 vaccination cards in New York, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said Tuesday.
Jasmine Clifford, 31, is accused of selling 250 forged vaccination cards through her Instagram account, @AntiVaxMomma. Clifford allegedly worked with Nadayza Barkley, 27, who allegedly fraudulently entered at least 10 people into the New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS) database, according to the district attorney.
Both Clifford and Barkley are charged with offering a false instrument for filing and conspiracy. Clifford was also charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument.
“We will continue to safeguard public health in New York with proactive investigations like these, but the stakes are too high to tackle fake vaccination cards with whack-a-mole prosecutions,” said District Attorney Vance. “We need companies like Facebook to take action to prevent the fraud happening on their platforms. Making, selling, and purchasing forged vaccination cards are serious crimes with serious public safety consequences. This investigation is ongoing. If you are aware of anyone selling fake vaccination cards, please call my Office’s Financial Frauds Bureau.”
Clifford allegedly began to advertise fake vaccination cards on her Instagram account around May 2021, charging $200 for each card, according to court documents.
For another $250, Barkley, who works at a medical clinic in Patchogue, would allegedly enter their names into the NYSIIS database as having received their vaccinations, documents said. Barkley entered at least 10 names into the database, according to investigators.
Thirteen people who allegedly purchased the cards, all believed to be front-line workers who were working at hospitals, medical and nursing schools and nursing homes, were also charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument. One of them was also charged with offering a false instrument for filing for paying to be entered into the database.
