The Dept. of Justice announced Tuesday the indictment of a former top aide to Anthony Fauci, who headed up the government's pandemic response.Seventy-eight-year-old David Morens allegedly violated records protocols in order to hide pandemic information from Freedom of Information Act requests, according to a DOJ press release.'The conspiracy was Tony Fauci and his assistants doing Xi Jinping’s dirty work and lying about COVID’s origins.' Morens was a senior adviser at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 2006 through 2022.He allegedly agreed with a co-conspirator "in writing to intentionally hide from public view their communications by corresponding using Morens’s personal Gmail account, rather than his official NIH email account."Morens allegedly received wine in exchange for his "shenanigans" and was allegedly offered other gifts, including meals at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York, and Washington, D.C.In one alleged email to Fauci, Morens appeared to admit to his efforts to hide the communications. "I can either send stuff to Tony on his private gmail, or hand it to him at work or at his house. He is too smart to let colleagues send him stuff that could cause trouble," the email allegedly read. Fauci has denied any knowledge about the emails and claimed Morens was not his top adviser. "These allegations represent a profound abuse of trust at a time when the American people needed it most — during the height of a global pandemic," read a statement from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche."As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Morens and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed information and falsified records in an effort to suppress alternative theories regarding the origins of COVID-19," he added. "Government officials have a solemn duty to provide honest, well-grounded facts and advice in service of the public interest — not to advance their own personal or ideological agendas."Morens is charged with conspiracy against the United States, according to the DOJ, as well as destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations; concealment, removal, or mutilation of records; and aiding and abetting."In March of 2020, I made clear the virus almost certainly came from the Wuhan lab," said former Trump State Secretary Mike Pompeo. "A massive campaign to undermine what we knew was undertaken. To call this an abuse of public trust is an understatement."RELATED: Fauci says its 'irrelevant' to him that people demonize him, is not afraid to testify at Congress Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) thanked the feds for holding "fraudsters" accountable."Pointing out that COVID leaked from a lab in Communist China was never a conspiracy, it was common sense," he said in a post on social media. "The conspiracy was Tony Fauci and his assistants doing Xi Jinping’s dirty work and lying about COVID’s origins."If convicted, Morens could face up to 20 years in prison for each count of destruction of records and possibly more for the other counts. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!