A Chicago pharmacist was arrested for allegedly selling authentic COVID-19 vaccination cards on eBay.

       Tangtang Zhao, 34, allegedly sold 125 vaccination cards from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for $10 each during March and April 2021. Zhao is accused of taking the cards from his employer, an unnamed national pharmacy chain that administered vaccines, and sold them online to 11 different buyers, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

       He is charged with 12 counts of theft of government property, according to the release. He faces a maximum of 10 years for each count if convicted.

       Zhao’s lawyer, Gal Pissetzky, in a Tuesday court appearance described his client’s record as “squeaky-clean” aside from this charge.

       Zhao received a $4,500 unsecured appearance bond, which means he only has to pay should he fail to appear for future court dates. He is still employed as a pharmacist but he must report the charges to his employer, according to Magistrate Judge Sheila Finnegan, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

       “We take seriously, and will vigorously investigate, any criminal offense that contributes to the distrust around vaccines and vaccination status,” Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said in the statement.

       The case was investigated jointly by the FBI and the Office of the Inspector General. Special agents in charge of each agency said the sale of vaccination cards put the health of untold people at risk.

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