WASHINGTON (TNND) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former White House Chief Medical Adviser and a prominent figure during the COVID-19 pandemic, has seen a significant increase in his wealth since retiring from government service, according to the government watchdog group Open the Books.
“He was the highest-paid bureaucrat when he was working for the federal government, he was making $480,000 as his final salary. He’s actually doing even better post-retirement,” said Rachel O’Brien, Public Policy Editor at Open the Books.
Open the Books obtained Fauci’s financial disclosure, revealing that his household earned more than $3.5 million in 2023. This included multiple six-figure deposits, though the sources of these deposits were not detailed in the documents. Fauci reportedly had several paid speaking engagements and sold his memoir to a subsidiary of Penguin Random House for approximately $5 million.
“He leveraged his celebrity status as a top trusted messenger on COVID-19 to make some money. And this was just at a time when some congressional investigations were happening,” said O’Brien.
Fauci’s earnings have previously been scrutinized by Congress. He was asked about royalties during a Congressional hearing last June.
“Dr. Fauci, how much have you earned from royalties from pharmaceutical companies since the pandemic began in 2021?” asked Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., during the hearing.
Fauci responded, “Zero.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, June 3, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Concerns about Fauci’s post-retirement wealth also involve his wife, Dr. Christine Grady, who was a bioethicist with the National Institutes of Health until her recent dismissal under the new administration. Open the Books has called for more transparency regarding the couple’s financial dealings.
“So the question remains what, if any, impact did their private dealings have on public health or research funding or policy guidance?” said O’Brien.
Additionally, Fauci’s government security detail, which cost approximately $15 million since he retired from government life, was canceled by President Trump shortly after taking office.
