Dr. Anosh Ahmed, the COO and CFO of Chicago's Loretto Hospital, resigned from his position in March after it was revealed that he was able to get the vaccine for 70 employees at Trump Tower – where he lived in a $2.7 million condominium – almost three weeks before they were officially eligible for the shot
The FBI has launched a probe into a private Chicago hospital that admitted in March to prioritizing COVID-19 vaccinations to its CFO's neighbors and staff at his favorite high-end restaurants and stores - despite the recipients not yet being eligible for the shot.
Dr. Anosh Ahmed, the COO and CFO of Chicago's Loretto Hospital, resigned from his position in March after it was revealed that he was able to get the vaccine for 70 employees at Trump Tower – where he lived in a $2.7 million condominium – almost three weeks before they were officially eligible for the shot.
Ahmed, 37, also vaccinated workers at luxury jewelry shop Geneva Seal and Maple and Ash, a high-end steakhouse where reservations require a $100 deposit.
Loretto Hospital, in the city's Oak Park neighborhood, has since become the subject of two federal grand jury subpoenas, which were issued 'pursuant to an official criminal investigation' to the Illinois Department of Public Health in May and September, according to Block Club Chicago.
They seek patient records and additional documents related to the hospital's vaccination distribution on March 10 and 11, though they make no wrongdoing against any Loretto official and do not spell out the scope of the grand jury investigation or its intended targets, the news outlet reported.
Loretto administrators could not be reached for comment.
The first subpoena, issued on May 27, regards 70 people inoculated through Loretto on March 10 and another 47 people vaccinated by Loretto the next day at an off-site event.
A second subpoena, issued on September 15, included a broader request from the hospital for all records on any COVID-19 vaccinations administered by Loretto at any location on those two days in March, according to Block Club Chicago.
The FBI has launched a probe into private Chicago hospital Loretto Hospital that admitted in March to prioritizing COVID-19 vaccinations to ineligible residents
The hospital released its own audit stating that it administered 70 unapproved, ineligible vaccines at Trump Tower on March 10, but it lists no vaccination event where 47 more people were inoculated
The hospital also gave 'ineligible' vaccines to staff at luxury jewelry shop Geneva Seal (pictured) and Maple and Ash, a high-end steakhouse
The hospital released its own audit stating that it administered 70 unapproved, ineligible vaccines at Trump Tower on March 10, but it lists no vaccination event where 47 more people were inoculated.
The hospital's audit, published by watchdog group the Better Government Association, notes the 70 ineligible vaccinations given to Trump Tower, as well as 49 ineligible vaccinations given to Geneva Seal.
It also includes 236 vaccinations distributed at various locations to individuals listed as 'decided eligible,' but does not go into detail the improper vaccinations or how hospital administration determined how some recipients were 'decided eligible.'
Chicago attorney Stephen Lee, who formerly served as a senior counsel to the Chicago U.S. attorney's health care fraud unit, reviewed the subpoenas for Block Club Chicago.
He said to the news outlet, 'This is not a fishing expedition. Sometimes these investigations don't really go anywhere, but there's something they're looking into, and it's something more than just what's unethical.'
Ahmed, 37, is said to have told acquaintances that he vaccinated Donald Trump 's son, Eric
Ahmed's resignation sparked calls for the removal of the hospital's president George Miller, who oversaw the vaccine distribution
Ahmed, 37, is said to have told acquaintances that he vaccinated Donald Trump 's son, Eric, an executive at the Trump Organization and sent a picture around of himself posing with Eric Trump , although he later said that it was 'a joke'.
Eric Trump is an executive vice president and trustee of the Trump Organization, which owns the Trump Tower hotel and residence, but the millionaire would not have been eligible to be vaccinated in Chicago.
The workers from the Trump Tower in Chicago had its workers receive the shot on March 10th despite city guidelines saying the employees of hotels and residential buildings would not be eligible until March 29th.
A little over 10 per cent of the city's 2.7m population was vaccinated in March when the scandal took place.
The Democrat Mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot said she was 'disappointed' at the news
There was high demand for the vaccine in Chicago at the time of the scandal, as just over 10 per cent of the city's 2.7m population had their first dose at the time
At the time, Chicago vaccination centers were limiting the vaccine to vulnerable populations, including people over 65, prisoners, teachers and first responders, not hotel workers or those in hospitality.
The action for the 72 injections was approved by the hospital's chief executive,
