Midwife in Fraud Scheme
Kathleen Breault, a 66-year-old midwife who is part of a notorious vaccine card fraud case has pleaded guilty. The justice system slammed her with federal fraud charges. The scheme involved helping an upstate clinic hand out thousands of fake COVID-19 vaccine cards to people who never got vaccinated. This all went down in Brooklyn last Monday, where Breault admitted her role in the vaccine scam.
Inside the Operation
Breault, along with Kelly McDermott, the clinic’s owner, ran the scheme from Sage-Femme Midwifery in Albany. This took place in 2021 and 2022, a period when many were rushing to get vaccinated due to governmental and private-sector mandates. Together, Breault and McDermott managed to distribute over 2,600 vaccine cards to unvaccinated individuals. Moreover, they destroyed vials of the vaccine, the feds have alleged in a 2023 indictment. At the moment, McDermott’s case is still in limbo.
Guilty As Charged
“I am guilty,” Breault declared in front of Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Rachel. “I’ve given vaccination cards to individuals who didn’t get their shots.”. Given the federal guidelines, she might spend 10 to 16 months behind bars. Her sentencing, set for September 18, could also make her pay a hefty sum of more than $37,500 as restitution.
Maximum Sentence in Sight
Breault pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. This charge carries a significant penalty — a maximum five-year prison term. Breault and McDermott schemed to list Sage-Femme as an authorized COVID-19 vaccine administration site. With this status, they were able to procure legitimate vaccine cards from the state Health Department.
Exploiting the System
The pair then preyed on people looking to dodge the vaccine but wanted a vaccination card. Shockingly, they proceeded to host vaccination clinic days at Sage-Femme. Their cover was so thorough that they destroyed the vaccines they got instead of administering them. They brazenly filed their patients in the state’s vaccination database even though these people didn’t actually get inoculated.
Becoming a Major Vaccination Site
Sage-Femme, originally a small midwife practice in Albany with branches in Sharon Springs and Saratoga, turned through this fraudulent scheme into one of the busiest Johnson & Johnson vaccination sites in New York. The indictment pointed out that even Breault, who didn’t take the vaccine, managed to secure a card. To get this card, she conned a licensed practical nurse who was working at Sage-Femme at the time.
Playing Victim
Interestingly, in an affidavit from October, Breault painted herself as a victim. She described herself as a “scapegoat for public dislike of the vaccine mandates,” stating she “acted based on conscience.” Furthermore, she was hoping to have the charges against her dismissed.
In conclusion, the case of Breault and McDermott is a warning for everyone: not everything that glitters is gold. They might have promised a seemingly bright side to vaccine-refusers while tarnishing the tireless work of health professionals with their fraudulent scheme. As the legal proceedings continue, we can only hope for justice to be served.