Two foreign nationals employed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) were charged Tuesday with smuggling monkeypox into the United States and lying to federal law enforcement. 
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, Vincent Munster, 53, a Dutch citizen and chief of the Virus Ecology Section at the NIH’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana, and Claude Kwe, 38, a Cameroonian national and NIH research fellow, were charged with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States from the Republic of Congo and giving false statements to federal investigators.
Both men face a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted.
The two men worked at a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory, the highest level of biological containment used to study the world&#8217;s most dangerous pathogens.
Federal authorities claim the pair arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on January 25 after traveling from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where a monkeypox outbreak was ongoing. Customs and Border Protection officers reportedly questioned the men after noticing they were transporting a large black plastic case.
According to investigators, Munster and Kwe told officers the case contained diagnostic and testing equipment. Authorities later determined the case allegedly contained 113 biological vials packed inside Styrofoam coolers.
Federal investigators said testing on 20 of the vials found that 17 contained deactivated monkeypox virus, one contained chickenpox virus, and two contained human DNA.
“These NIH experts apparently broke our laws by smuggling viral pathogens on a packed commercial airplane from an outbreak in the Republic of Congo. Let that sink in,” U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. said in a statement.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox is a viral disease that spreads primarily through close physical contact with infected people, animals, or contaminated materials. While most infected individuals recover, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems face a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9468204/">greater risk</a> of severe illness. The CDC says the virus does not spread through casual contact or through the air in places like classrooms, offices, or pools.
Outbreaks of monkeypox have been ongoing in Central and Eastern Africa since late 2023. The CDC says the global clade IIb monkeypox outbreak that began in 2022 has resulted in more than 100,000 cases across 122 countries.
Since November 2024, the United States has recorded more than 20 laboratory-confirmed clade I monkeypox cases, according to the CDC. Officials say those infections involved travelers returning from affected regions in Africa or Europe, or individuals linked to recent travelers.
FBI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan said the allegations were “serious” and involved “dangerous and unlawful smuggling” along with attempts to mislead federal agents.
“No researchers should believe their positions, credentials, or professional status place them above the law,” Runyan added.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General also condemned the alleged conduct, warning that attempts to conceal biological materials could place the public at risk.
“We have zero tolerance for anyone who attempts to exploit our research frameworks, circumvent our border enforcement processes, or deceive investigators,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon.

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Leftist Scientists Caught Sneaking 113 Vials Of Monkeypox Into America

CONTINUE READING

Man Who Threatened To Bomb TPUSA Event Spent Months Obsessing Over Erika Kirk

Radical Arrested For Bomb Threat Against Erika Kirk

Chilling Post Adds New Twist To Ivanka Trump Assassination Plot

Rubio Outlines Vision For ‘New Cuba’ As Possible Raúl Castro Indictment Looms

They’ve Tried To Take Down Bibi Before. Here We Go Again.

Iran-Backed Terror Operative Brought To U.S. Over Plot Targeting American Jews

News

Crime

Health

Monkeypox

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

Leftist Scientists Caught Sneaking 113 Vials Of Monkeypox Into America