Judge Holds China Liable for Pandemic Mismanagement, Imposes $24 Billion Judgment

A Missouri Judge Holds China Responsible for Pandemic Mismanagement

In a landmark ruling, a federal judge in Missouri has found the Chinese government responsible for covering up the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic and hoarding essential protective equipment. Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri entered a judgment of over $24 billion against China, its governing Communist Party, local governments, a health agency, and a laboratory.

The lawsuit, filed by the Missouri attorney general's office in April 2020, accused the Chinese government of withholding information about the existence and spread of the virus. It further alleged that China then restricted the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the rest of the world. Chinese officials have rejected the judge's decision.

In his ruling, Judge Limbaugh stated that "China was misleading the world about the dangers and scope of the Covid-19 pandemic" and had "engaged in monopolistic actions to hoard PPE." These actions, he argued, hampered the early response to the pandemic in the United States and made it impossible to acquire sufficient equipment for medical personnel.

The Missouri officials have vowed to enforce the judgment by seizing Chinese assets. This ruling marks a significant development in holding China accountable for its actions during the early stages of the pandemic.