FACT CHECK: No, The Military Did Not Arrest A Special Assistant To Anthony Fauci
A post shared on Facebook claims Patricia L. Conrad, an assistant to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Anthony Fauci, was arrested by military personnel.
Verdict: False
There is no evidence the military has arrested Conrad. The rumor stems from a website that features “humor, parody, and satire.”
Fact Check:
Conrad is a special assistant to the director of the NIAID, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to its website. The Facebook post alleges that U.S. Marines arrested her on March 17, remarking that the news was a “shock” to the public and her followers.
There is no record of such an arrest occurring. Neither the Defense Department nor NIAID has mentioned Conrad being arrested in any of their press releases or social media posts. No such incident was referenced during Fauci’s March 20 interview on “This Week” with George Stephanopoulos. (RELATED: No, This Military Footage Is Not From The War In Ukraine)
There are likewise no credible news reports suggesting Conrad has been arrested or charged with any crimes. The story first appeared in a March 19 article on the website Real Raw News, which displays a disclaimer on its “about us” page stating, “This website contains humor, parody, and satire.”
The article explicitly names Patricia L. Conrad, stating that she had been “a major player in Fauci’s COVID crimes.” It includes a photo of Dr. Patricia Ann Conrad, a UC Davis Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology professor emeritus.
Check Your Fact previously debunked the false claim stemming from Real Raw News that Fauci was arrested by Navy SEALs on June 1.