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Posted December 09, 2021

Florida Man Convicted for Distributing Steroids Labeled as Dietary Supplements

On December 9, 2021, 37-year-old Florida resident James Boccuzzi was convicted of one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Boccuzzi is the 11th defendant convicted in association with Blackstone Labs LLC, a Boca Raton based company that sold millions of dollars of products labeled as dietary supplements.

ConsumerLab first warned consumers about Blackstone Labs, LLC, after the FDA issued a warning letter to the company for selling weight loss supplements containing amphetamine-like compounds on product labels.

Evidence stable shed that products sold by Blackstone Labs became illegal controlled substances under the Design Anabolic Steroid Control Act in December of 2014, and Boccuzzi and his co-conspirators continued to sell these products for more than 18 months after the federal law went into effect, and after receiving a warning letter from the FDA notifying the company that the products were unlawful to sell as dietary supplements.

Special Agent Justin C. Fielder of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations states, "Products mislabeled as dietary supplements can pose a serious risk to the health of U.S. consumers. We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public health by selling violative products." The trial and plea agreements are the product of a multi-year investigation.

Boccuzzi served as Blackstone's director of sales and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

See ConsumerLab's Review of Weight Loss Supplements and Muscle Enhancers for more information about other synthetic stimulants and steroids found in these types of supplements, and tests of related products.

For more information, use the link below.

Federal Jury Convicts Florida Man for Role in Defrauding FDA and Distributing Designer Anabolic Steroids Labeled as Dietary Supplements

See Related Recalls and Warnings:

FDA Targets Weight Loss and Workout Supplements Listing Synthetic Stimulant DMBA

Work Out and Weight Loss Supplements Contain Synthetic Amphetamine-Like Compound

FDA Warns Sellers of Bodybuilding Supplements Containing Steroid-Like Substances

Supplement Company Continues to Make False Claims About Its Products, Says FTC