Fact Check: Did ICC issue criminal charges against Dr Anthony Fauci for crimes against humanity?

WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the allegation against Dr Anthony Fauci by a CIA whistleblower over an alleged Covid cover-up, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued criminal charges against Fauci, accusing him of crimes against humanity.

Let us analyse and fact-check the viral rumor.

Claim: ICC has issued criminal charges against Dr Anthony Fauci

According to the claim that has been circulating in the past few days, ICC has returned 14 indictments against Fauci for crimes against humanity. 

Although it is unclear on what basis he was charged, the comments under the post indicate that they are related to the alleged COVID cover-up.

The claim has spread on multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Threads, and X, garnering hundreds of thousands of views. While many believe the claim to be authentic, a few others remained sceptical and questioned its authenticity.

Fact Check: The claim originated as a satire

However, there is no evidence that the ICC has issued criminal charges against Fauci, accusing him of crimes against humanity. 

A search on Google for the claim did not yield any credible reports by prominent news media outlets. Reports involving Fauci, COVID, and ICC wouldn't go unnoticed by the media if they were true, triggering nationwide debates and backlash.

Moreover, the claim originated on a popular parody Facebook account called ‘America’s Last Line Of Defence’ which describes itself in the bio as ‘Nothing on this page is real.’

Hence, the post was intended as a satire made for the sake of engagement.

CIA veteran links Anthony Fauci to COVID lab leak debate

Dr Anthony Fauci is a prominent American infectious disease expert, well known for being the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for almost forty years. 

Fauci was also a key public health adviser during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he played a major role in shaping the US response regarding vaccines, mask guidance, and other strategies to control the virus's spread. 

Recently, the debate about the origins of Covid-19 has heated up, with James Erdman, a former CIA officer with 20 years of experience, telling the Senate Homeland Security Committee that Fauci had a direct and "intentional" role in pushing the intelligence community to abandon the lab leak theory.