A pharmacist who left a box of COVID-19 vaccine out of the refrigerator to sabotage it thinks that the Earth is flat and the sky isn't real.
In fact, one FBI document revealed the following text from the pharmacist, which was obtained by WISN 12 News:
"Rather it is a shield put up by the Government to prevent individuals from seeing God."
Filed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the document was taken from a search warrant affidavit by FBI Special Agent Lindsay Schoemer. She hoped it would enable federal agents to search everything that belongs to Steven Brandenburg (his phone, his laptop, etc.)
Co-Workers Suspect Brandenburg of Committing the Crime
The content in the document brought more attention to the investigation, which had already attracted a lot of international attention.
The document, which was reported by The Daily Beast, relies on the words of the pharmacist's coworker at Advocate Aurora Health Systems.
She told investigators about the time she found the box of Moderna vaccine removed from the refrigerator at 3 am.
The coworker suspected that Brandenburg had done that, as Brandenburg was the only one working the third shift. Not only that but also because of conspiracy theories, she said he was constantly sharing.
The Co-Worker Speaks of His Unstable Nature
Schloemer wrote the following about the coworker's account during the investigation:
"Brandenburg has explained to (the coworker) that he does not believe the coronavirus is real, and he thinks the vaccine is going to harm people."
"Brandenburg thinks that the vaccine is 'microchipped' and will turn off people's birth control and make others infertile."
The coworker said that Brandenburg made her feel uncomfortable about reporting. Apparently, she once found him standing in the only exit from her cubicle.
"If I lose this job, I lose my kids," she recalled, fearing that he may become "desperate" or "unhinged".
In an interview with FBI agents and members of the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigation, the coworker shared a detailed account of the kind of conspiracy theories Brandenburg shared with whoever he could.
The coworker said he sent a text message that included, "the earth is flat; the sky is not real, rather it is a shield put up by the Government to prevent individuals from seeing God, and Judgement Day is coming."
"Brandenburg showed her a gun at work, which he kept in his bag. Brandenburg stated it was a '.45' and (he) kept it in case the military came to take him away."
She also said she believed Brandenburg carried a concealed handgun on his person at work because his clothes "bulged out."
57 Victims Took the Sabotaged Vaccine
During an AAHS investigation, Brandenburg denied having any bad intentions. In fact, he claimed to have accidentally left out the box after tending to some products that had spilled from another bin.
After speaking to investigators one more time, Brandenburg finally admitted he deliberately took the vaccine box out of the refrigerator on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
According to Schloemer, 57 people were eventually given the sabotaged vaccine.
"The AAHS administrator advised that if AAHS had known the vaccine was also removed from refrigeration on Dec. 24, 2020, they would not have used the vaccine," investigators said.
However, officials are waiting to know whether these doses have affected the patients.
Schloemer said Brandenburg sent an email after the conversation to AAHS investigators, confessing his actions and expressing remorse.
Finally, Brandenburg is supposed to attend court on the state charge on March 18. In addition to that, he was fired from the hospital and had his pharmacy license suspended.
