I’ve shared the two messages below from my heart to offer the full context behind a legal matter that received public attention. I’ve left them both exactly as I originally wrote them—because you deserve to hear the whole truth, directly from me. In February 2025, an Administrative Law Judge issued a 38-page ruling fully dismissing all charges brought against me by the Medical Board of California. After a long and difficult journey, the court’s decision brings me a sense of closure, and I remain forever grateful for the kindness, trust, and support I’ve received from so many of you along the way.
With love and understanding,
Mona
Part II: Justice and Gratitude – Reflecting on the Court’s Decision to Fully Dismiss All Charges
June 2025
To my valued patients, colleagues, and community:
Several years ago, I made the incredibly difficult decision to plead guilty to a misdemeanor under the Defense Production Act, a law passed during the Korean War. At the time, my son — just 18 years old — had become involved in a PPE distribution business during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. I supported him by allowing access to my wholesale supply accounts, which was considered a violation of an obscure federal statute. I accepted responsibility and agreed to a misdemeanor plea to spare our family the immense burden of a legal battle and overwhelming financial and emotional strain.
This decision was followed by a wave of extremely negative media coverage. Unfortunately, not a single media outlet that reported on the original charges ever contacted me for comment, nor did they update their stories after the Medical Board formally dismissed the case — even after I reached out to them directly. As a result, many only saw the early, incomplete headlines. I share this update to provide the whole picture.
What followed after my plea, was a formal accusation by the Medical Board of California. As a state agency, The Medical Board is represented by the California Attorney General’s Office, and I found myself facing the full weight and virtually unlimited resources of the government.
Going up against a team with that level of institutional power and capacity was daunting. In hindsight, it’s possible that going to trial might have led to a better legal outcome. But at the time, as a mother, and given the immense emotional and financial toll it would have taken on our family, I made the only choice I felt I could — to take responsibility and end the ordeal for my son and those I love.
Even with everything the state could bring to bear, the truth ultimately prevailed.
After an extensive hearing, the Administrative Law Judge issued a 38-page ruling in February 2025, fully dismissing all charges against me. I am grateful that the judge took her time to review all the facts and consider the circumstances and it renewed my faith in the judicial system. Her findings are clear.
Key conclusions from the judge’s decision include:
This case was “atypical and did not involve patient care” and stemmed from “actions that occurred during a worldwide pandemic — something that has not occurred since the Spanish Flu of 1918.”
My actions were “attributable to a lack of knowledge concerning the legality of her actions,” not greed or misconduct.
The court found I “expressed extreme remorse and regret, and accepted responsibility for what occurred.”
The judge noted that “Significant weight must also be given to Dr. Mofid’s demonstrated dedication to helping those less fortunate, and her zeal in undertaking volunteer/pro bono work. Dr. Mofid’s volunteer and pro bono work throughout the San Diego community is well-documented. Indeed, even during the COVID pandemic while she was acquiring the industrial masks through her suppliers, she donated thousands to the general public and focused specifically on those who were in most need. That begs the question why, if someone was so interested in making profit from resale, would they give away the very items that were supposed to bring that profit?”
The judge stated that “Significant weight must also be given to the many years Dr. Mofid has practiced medicine without discipline and likely, without so much as even a complaint about her performance. One need only refer to the many character letters or testimony…to see that Dr. Mofid is 100 percent dedicated to her patients”
The judge emphasized that I had “no nefarious or malicious intent”
The court concluded: “These are not the actions of someone looking to price gouge the public and prevent them from having life-saving access to PPE.”
The court described me as “more accomplished than most of the doctors the Medical Board brings before the court,” with a record of “more awards, distinctions, professional honors, and recognitions than most experts that appear in administrative hearings before the board.”
As a result, the court ordered a full dismissal of all charges.
What has meant the most to me throughout this experience is the overwhelming support, patience, and kindness that my son and I have received from my patients, colleagues, and community.
Your trust and kindness sustained me during the most difficult moments and reminded me why I chose this profession in the first place. I am deeply touched by the encouragement, letters, and words of affirmation that so many of you have offered.
Despite the emotional toll of the experience, I never stepped away from my commitment to care. Over the past few years, I have continued to receive the highest patient satisfaction scores of any specialist within Sharp Community Medical Group, and I’ve been consistently recognized by the San Diego County Medical Society as one of the region’s Top Doctors. These honors are humbling and reflect not just my efforts, but the strength of the relationships I’ve built with the patients I have the privilege to serve.
With this chapter now behind me, I remain focused on what matters most — caring for my patients with compassion, integrity, and excellence. I hope that in reading this, you’ll see a glimpse of the full context and offer me the grace of understanding. I’m grateful to continue doing the work I love, and I thank you for allowing me the privilege of your care and trust.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Mona
Part I: What You Didn’t Hear in the Headlines – The Truth Behind the PPE Case
July 12, 2023
I want you to know the entire story behind my recent agreement to plead guilty in U.S. Federal Court to a misdemeanor charge of accumulating personal protective equipment (PPE). I made the tough decision primarily to spare my son and those for whom I carry the pain and expense of fighting the allegations in a protracted trial. Doing so, however, triggered a press release that painted an incomplete narrative. I wish to correct that now.
Three years ago, my 18-year-old son Adam returned home to San Diego from college due to the pandemic. The local grocery stores were short-staffed, and my son worked on the frontlines as a bagging clerk at Ralph’s while completing college classes and exams. I kept my medical office open every day during the pandemic to ensure my patients had access to care. While working at Ralphs, my son was recruited to work for an Australian PPE company to sell mostly non-allocated, largely non-medical masks on their behalf in the U.S.
My son liked the job, and I was happy for him. I provided my son access to my wholesale medical supply accounts to purchase masks. The masks I helped my son purchase accounted for approximately 18% of those the company sold and were marked for industrial, not hospital use. Beyond purchasing, I was not involved in the selling, pricing, advertising, policy-making, or distribution of any of those masks.
For my role, I netted approximately $80,000 in consulting fees, all of which were used for charitable causes and persons in need, including over $20,000 in contributions to the San Diego Police Foundation and $11,000 to the food bank. Approximately 200,000 masks were also donated, which were provided for free to numerous philanthropic organizations, including Father Joe's Village, the San Diego Unified School District, Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, Inspiring Children, The House of Metamorphosis, The San Diego Police Foundation, countless medical clinics, and The Jacobs-Cushman Food Bank.
Separately, I and many of my colleagues volunteered to administer COVID vaccines to the public. I used my own funds to purchase several thousand specialized syringes that could extract 12 instead of 10 doses per vial, allowing us to vaccinate 20% more people who otherwise would not have had access to the vaccine in the early stages. We vaccinated long hours, even making home visits to the indigent and veterans at our own expense.
My son and I fully complied with a government investigation that determined that as an 18-year-old college student, he was involved in charging too much for the masks sold by the Australian company. They only sold legitimate masks at the prices that were advertised online, and all the masks that were ordered were delivered to the customers. There was no fraud.
The isolated price examples in the media did not reflect the company’s overall prices, which were comparable to those of other online retailers at the time. The company sold the masks for an average of approximately 2.2x what they paid.
Without question, my love and support for my son was a strong factor in deciding how to resolve this situation. So I agreed to end things quickly by pleading guilty to a misdemeanor violation, primarily to soften this situation's impact on my son and his future. I paid a $100,000 fine and committed to 200 hours of community service, which I already have a long history of doing.
I take pride in my 25 years of dedicated medical service and being one of the few Dermatologists who have not converted their practices to lucrative cosmetic services. Rather, I have devoted my career primarily to taking care of skin cancer patients, of which approximately half are seniors.
I made a mistake, which I regret terribly, and I hope this information helps to clarify and add context. I remain committed to providing compassionate, kind, and exceptional medical care with this legal matter behind me.
For those who did not rush to judgment and for the outpouring of support from patients, colleagues, and friends, I am left truly humbled.
With kindness,
Mona
