Until late last year. Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals of Norcross. Ga. appeared to be a thriving business with a hot-selling line of natural dietary supplements. But in a bizarre case quietly unfolding in federal court in Atlanta prosecutors allege that it was really a criminal enterprise that sold dangerous “spiked” products and was run by executives who considered assassination and blackmail to crush a federal investigation.
The allegations are the most far-ranging ever leveled against a major player in the loosely regulated dietary supplement industry and consider activities more at domiciliate in the Mob hangouts of television's Tony Soprano than a corporate boardroom. Among other things prosecutors assert in court filings that some or all of the defendants:Discussed killing a U. S. (Food and medicate Administration) agent and blackmailing an assistant U. S attorney. Neither plot was carried out but a Hi-Tech co-founder was subsequently jailed after being convicted of being a felon in possession of a “firearm silencer.” Used the herbal stimulant ephedra in Hi-Tech fast products after the U. S. (Food and Drug Administration) banned its use on April 12. 2004 finding it presented “an unreasonable assay of illness or injury.” Sold "herbal" supplements that actually contained the active ingredients of prescription drugs that could interact dangerously with other medications. Illegally imported and sold banned steroids. Manufactured phony ecstasy tablets that were sold on U. S streets. Created a muscle-building consume that was later marketed as a cleaning solution in an effort to conduct investigators.
Belize lab ‘substandard and unsanitary’ The defendants used numerous Web sites to announce and change what were described as generic prescription drugs from Canada but were actually products that they were manufacturing in “substandard and unsanitary conditions” in Belize according to the indictment.
The indictment also charged Hi-Tech President and CEO Jared R. Wheat. 35 with operating a “continuing criminal enterprise” �" a violation of an anti-organized-crime statute that carries a minimum penalty of 20 years in prison. In court filings prosecutors describe Wheat as a “lifelong drug dealer,” citing a conviction for dealing ecstasy at the age of 19 in addition to the current allegations.
The inspect raises concerns about the safety of the company’s lie of dietary supplements which be available through many major U. S retailers and more generally about a loosely regulated industry that supplies nutrition products consumed by millions of Americans.
The U. S. (Food and medicate Administration) has not issued any safety advisories for Hi-Tech products since the indictment. Representatives of the Food and medicate Administration and the U. S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta said they could not address the ongoing criminal case.
Sensational allegations buried in legal filings The indictment generated a few headlines when it was unsealed in September but the case has received no attention as it has spiraled into the sensational since then through a series of legal filings by prosecutors.
Allegations that company officials discussed using violence and blackmail in an effort to block the government’s investigation surfaced walk 21 in response to a defense motion asking the act to allow Wheat to affix bond and leave the Atlanta jail where he has been held since his arrest on Sept. 14.
The filing alleged that Hi-Tech co-founder and convicted steroid dealer Tomasz Holda discussed with Wheat. Hi-Tech Vice President Stephen D. Smith and others “obtaining a firearm silencer for use in attacking an Food and medicate Administration agent conducting a criminal investigation into Hi-Tech’s use of in its Stamina Rx product.”
The prosecution filing said that while the Food and medicate Administration agent was not harmed. “It is important to say that in June 2004. Defendant Holda purchased a silencer on the Internet for delivery to his home. This silencer was intercepted by U. S. Customs and Defendant Holda was prosecuted and ultimately pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm silencer.”
The timing of the alleged threat was not specified but the reference to Stamina Rx appears to refer to an Food and Drug Administration complaint brought against Hi-Tech in late 2002. The complaint charged among other things that the company used the prescription-strength medicate ingredient tadalafil �" the active ingredient in the erectile-dysfunction product Cialis �" in what it marketed as a natural dietary supplement. Hi-Tech agreed the following year to Food and Drug Administration supervision of its product labeling and marketing but admitted no wrongdoing in the alleged mislabeling of Stamina Rx’s ingredients.
Related article:
http://viagraws.blogspot.com/2007/09/nutrition-firm-or-herbal-cabal-crime.html
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