On New Year's day, a German doctor was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison PLUS a three-year work ban AND was ordered to pay $29,550.

Her crime? (I just know you were surprised to hear this doc is a woman.)

"Illegally" issuing mask exemptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $29k she is expected to pay is the sum she received for using the medical certificates. Her office assistant was fined 2,700 euros.

That sounds like an honest day's work to me!

This doctor issued mask exemptions for more than 4,000 people. Those are four thousand smiles she saved!

A regional court in the southwestern town of Weinheim, north of Heidelberg, confirmed that she was convicted of "issuing incorrect health certificates" to people from across Germany, most of whom she had never met or examined, according to Fox News.

It was noted that she was not faulted for providing exemptions to her existing patients.

During the trial, the defendant argued that wearing masks harms people's health, and her lawyer plans to appeal the verdict.

Her office assistant was fined 2,700 euros.

"The process is more reminiscent of a sale of certificates than a medical procedure," the court said in a statement.

Dozens of supporters (aka Freedom Fighters) gathered outside the court in Weinheim to protest against the verdict and Germany's pandemic restrictions.

Germany ended requirements to wear masks in many indoor settings last year. However, they are still mandatory on long-distance trains, in doctors' practices, hospitals, nursing homes, and on some regional public transport.