During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a highly regarded dermatologist, Dr. Mona Zohdi Mofid, and her son, Adam Zohdi Mofid, were found guilty of accumulating and selling scarce N95 respirator masks at price-gouging levels, generating a staggering $15,760,000 in gross income according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). As the severity of the pandemic grew and the demand for essential personal protective equipment, specifically N95 masks, surged far beyond their supply, the mother-and-son duo sought to capitalize on the crisis at the expense of their community's wellbeing.
Dr. Mona Mofid willfully purchased over 375,000 N95 respirator masks from various medical supply companies between May 2020 and January 2021, while also knowing that doing so during this time was unlawful. Her son, Adam, admitted to selling these accumulated masks through his company, Clinical Supplies USA, with markups ranging from 300% to 400% above the original purchase price.
Following their plea agreements, both Dr. Mona and her son, Adam, were sentenced to two years of probation, with Adam facing an additional 60 days of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay a hefty $1.2 million fine, while Dr. Mona was fined a smaller sum of $100,000. They were also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service each as part of their sentences.
Dr. Mona Zohdi Mofid, who is affiliated with the Sharp Community Medical Group and Sharp Grossmont Hospital, has an impressive background in the field of dermatology as stated on her professional website. She received her medical degree from the prestigious Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed her training at the internationally recognized Johns Hopkins Hospital. After her tenure as Clinic Director of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins, she became the youngest president of the Maryland Dermatologic Society. She has also authored numerous scientific papers and serves as the Medical Director for the American Melanoma Foundation.
Although Dr. Mona is recognized for her compassionate care and expertise in the field of dermatology, her hoarding and opportunistic sales of N95 masks during a global crisis is a stark contrast to her otherwise admirable reputation. This act not only tarnished her professional image but also endangered the lives of her community by taking advantage of the limited availability of essential personal protective equipment needed by healthcare providers and the general public alike during the pandemic.
U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman was quoted saying, “While many in our community, especially healthcare providers, responded valiantly to COVID-19, some people took advantage of the pandemic,” and added that “These defendants are paying the price for selling medical supplies at inflated prices during a national crisis.” He further expressed gratitude for the prosecution team and FBI's efforts in bringing the culprits to justice.
Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office also expressed her disapproval, stating that “Mona and Adam Mofid sought to take advantage of the world-wide crisis, and gain an unfair advantage, by stockpiling these vital products and selling them for price-gouging prices to facilitate their greed,” and added that “Dr. Mofid’s hoarding of such sought-after medical products transgressed her oath as a physician to do no harm.”
The efforts of the DOJ, COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, and FBI have successfully brought this unethical scheme to an end.
