At more than $480,000 a year, Dr. Anthony Fauci was the highest-paid federal government employee when he retired, and had been for years.After retirement, Fauci has gone on to double his net worth, ranking in a staggering $12.5 million, according to online reports.But despite his wealth, Fauci – who has been referred to the Justice Department for obstruction of Congress – still thinks he needs help paying the bills.
A legal defense fund has been established to help Dr. Anthony Fauci cover attorneys’ fees and other expenses as the former federal health official faces continuing investigations and legal proceedings related to his role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Anthony S. Fauci M.D. Legal Defense Fund says it was created to finance Fauci’s legal representation and associated administrative costs stemming from ongoing inquiries.
“The Anthony S. Fauci M.D. Legal Defense Fund was established to help cover the legal representation and associated administrative costs for Dr. Fauci,” according to the fund’s newly launched website.
The organization is soliciting contributions from supporters, saying donations will go directly toward Fauci’s legal defense.
“Your contributions directly support these defense efforts and ensure comprehensive legal support during ongoing inquiries and proceedings,” the website states.
Fauci, 85, spent nearly four decades as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and became one of the country’s most recognizable public health officials while serving as a leading federal adviser during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He retired from government service in 2022 but has remained at the center of congressional and political scrutiny over the government’s pandemic response and questions surrounding the origins of COVID-19.
OpenTheBooks CEO Adam Andrzejewski has also said Fauci receives a substantial federal retirement benefit, describing it as “a federal pension that rivals a presidential salary.”
Fauci also received a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden in January 2025 covering potential federal offenses related to his government service.
The creation of Fauci’s legal defense fund comes as Republican lawmakers and state officials continue pursuing investigations into his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul has called for the Justice Department to investigate Fauci, while Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a subpoena as part of a separate investigation examining whether Fauci personally profited from pandemic-era COVID-19 guidance.
Fauci, who has denied wrongdoing, also faced intense questioning during a congressional hearing in July over his handling of the pandemic. During that appearance, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination approximately 100 times.
His refusal to answer numerous questions subsequently became a central issue in an Aug. 6 contempt vote.
A Senate committee subsequently referred Fauci to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution.
The referral does not establish that Fauci committed a crime, and invoking the Fifth Amendment cannot itself be treated as evidence of guilt.
Republican lawmakers have nevertheless argued that Fauci should face legal consequences stemming from their investigation into the federal government’s response to COVID-19, while Democrats have characterized the inquiry as politically motivated.
A major development has since emerged in Congress’ investigation into the federal government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, just days after one of its most closely watched witnesses repeatedly declined to answer lawmakers’ questions.
Senate investigators have obtained a copy of Fauci’s government-issued iPhone from his time at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a report first published by The Wall Street Journal.
The phone was transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which is chaired by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
Johnson confirmed the transfer in a post on X, writing, “The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has obtained a copy of Dr. Fauci’s phone from HHS. Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week’s hearing.”