California Bar's Side Hustle: Fake COVID Vaccination Cards
As we begin to enter into whatever this new “normalcy” will be in the coming weeks, there are concerns among some that unvaccinated Americans could soon be treated like second-class citizens in their own country.
This has already been a bit of an issue in certain industries, with airlines pushing hard to establish a coronavirus vaccine passport system, and several major league sports venues having declared that they will segregate the vaccinated and unvaccinated fans who attend their games.
This has now spurred a strange side hustle for one California bar.
The owner of a San Joaquin County bar was arrested this week for allegedly selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.
Investigators say the operation ran for weeks out of the Old Corner Saloon in Clements, which has a population of 941.
The local sheriff’s office got a tip that fake vaccine cards were being manufactured and sold out of the bar, complete with laminations.
The investigation was fairly cut and dry.
Investigators with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control then took over.
“Undercover agents with our Special Operations Unit were able to purchase multiple cards in April,” said Luke Blehm, deputy division chief at the Alcoholic Beverage Control.
“As a result, we also observed several sales of fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards to other patrons,” Blehm said.
The owner of the bar was selling the cards for only $20.