News Releases

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that his office today charged a Tujunga doctor for issuing fake COVID vaccination cards and injecting some of his patients with blood plasma he received from donors.

“It is disturbing that people, especially medical professionals, continue to use the pandemic as an opportunity to deceive the public,” District Attorney Gascón said. “Fake COVID vaccination cards are illegal and endanger our collective health and well-being. We will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to protect consumers and stop medical fraud.”

Donald Plance (dob 12/9/53) was charged in case BA505464 with 10 felony counts of making a forged government seal and 10 misdemeanor counts of making a false medical record and one misdemeanor count each of making a drug without a license and possession of a contaminated medical device. Arraignment will be scheduled for a later date.

Between August and November of last year, Plance is accused of making his own vaccination cards and giving them to his patients. The cards appeared to be genuine, bearing the Center for Disease Control and Health and Human Services seals.

Plance also allegedly injected his patients with blood plasma from donors who purportedly previously had COVID-19, claiming that the procedure would protect his patients from contracting the virus. Blood plasma injections are not a federally approved vaccination. It is recommended that patients seek guidance from a licensed medical provider.

The case remains under investigation by the California Department of Consumer Affairs Division of Investigation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General.