Tag: counterfeit

According To A New Study Dangerous Counterfeit Drugs Are Putting Millions Of US Consumers At Risk
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According To A New Study Dangerous Counterfeit Drugs Are Putting Millions Of US Consumers At Risk

The Food and Drug Administration took 130 enforcement actions against counterfeit medication rings from 2016 through 2021, according to my new study published in the journal Annals of Pharmacotherapy. Such actions might involve arrests, confiscation of products or counterfeit rings being dissolved. These counterfeiting operations involved tens of millions of pills, more than 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of active ingredient powder that could be turned into pills in the U.S. and hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. Unfortunately, with over 11,000 rogue pharmacy sites selling drugs on the internet, these actions barely scratch the surface. The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations conducts and coordinates criminal investigations into manufacturers and individuals violating federal...
Buyer beware: Counterfeit markets can flourish during a public health crisis
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Buyer beware: Counterfeit markets can flourish during a public health crisis

Rapid acceleration of coronavirus-related infections and fatalities in countries like Italy, Spain and the United States has led to widespread bans on communal activities, global restrictions on travel and an increasing reliance on virtual interactions. The push to keep people indoors has lead to a substantial increase in e-commerce and internet-based activities, including video streaming, grocery shopping, food delivery and education. People are becoming increasingly reliant upon these services to provide life’s basic necessities – and counterfeiters are primed to take advantage of this unique opportunity. Counterfeiters have long preyed upon consumer vulnerability in order to make a quick profit. The current coronavirus crisis will likely be no different. However, what is unique about ...
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U.S. Citizen Pleads Guilty for Leading $2 Million Counterfeit Currency Operation in Uganda

A United States national who is also the son in law of an ex-African dictator, was found guilty for his role in an international currency operation headquartered in the Republic of Uganda. The sentencing is scheduled for this summer and the American is currently facing 45 years behind bars, a fine of $1 million or both. Son of Missionaries Guilty for an International Criminal Operation 31-year-old Ryan Andrew Gustafson is an American citizen, son of missionaries and married to the granddaughter of Idi Amin, dictator of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Gustafson is also known to law enforcement by several other aliases such as WillyClock and Jack Farrel. The initial counterfeit currency operation began in Uganda, where Gustafson manufactured and distributed false Federal Reserve Notes. For...
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Pair in Connecticut Sentenced for Selling Counterfeit Xanax & Steroids on the Dark Web

Jason Chen, a 34-year-old man in Norwich, Connecticut, pleaded guilty in a Hartford district court and received three years of probation for his position in scheming to manufacture fake Xanax pills and anabolic steroids, and use the dark web to sell the controlled substances. Furthermore, Chen likewise is to serve the initial three months of the judge’s ruling in house arrest. The fake Xanax pills and anabolic steroids were sold in AlphaBay, a dark web marketplace that was later seized in 2017. William Fusco, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also pleaded guilty to his role in the operation and was sentenced to 20 months in prison with three years of supervised release. Manufacturing Fake Xanax & Steroids According to the Department of Justice, Fusco planned to have the chemicals n...