SAN JOSE, Calif.—Settling charges begun last summer with an FDA warning letter for selling synthetic steroids as legal dietary supplements, VMG Global (dba American Cellular Labs) has agreed in U.S. District Court, San Jose, to plead guilty to the charge of introducing unapproved drugs into interstate commerce and accept a fine of up to $500,000. VMG also agreed to destroy the remaining inventories of two products relative to the charges.
The New York Times quoted Rick Collins, a lawyer representing VMG Global, as saying, “The felony prosecution and the substantial fine imposed should serve as a warning to supplement companies selling misbranded products that do not fit the criteria for a dietary ingredient.”
Beginning in 2005m, FDA’s investigation of American Cellular Labs indicated the company deceived consumers and broke federal laws by selling $5.6 million worth of illegal steroid products called Tren Xtreme and Mass Xtreme, by marketing them as dietary supplements. Leading the investigation was FDA’s special agent Jeff Novitzky, who had gone after the infamous Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) several years back, which included famous athletes like Marion Jones and Barry Bonds.
