Settlement Represents Model for Steroid Prosecutions Targeting Sports Nutrition Companies
VMG Global, the manufacturer of American Cellular Labs "Tren Xtreme" and "Mass Xtreme", has pleaded guilty to one count of introducing unapproved drugs into interstate commerce and has agreed to a fine of up to $500,000. The VMG Global case is the first of several pending investigations targeting the marketing of steroidal compounds as dietary supplements since BALCO prosecutors have turned their attention from "steroids in sports" to "steroids in supplements". Rick Collins, steroid legal expert and attorney for VMG Global, described the plea agreement as a model for supplement companies facing prosecution in the many other steroid investigations affecting the ...
Jesse Haggard Defense Attorneys Remain on Steroid Case After Exposing Government Deception
Dr. Jesse Haggard was permitted to keep his chosen legal representation in the Applied Pharmacy steroid case after the federal government failed in their attempts to have his attorneys removed from the case. United States Magistrate Judge Sonja Bivins rejected the prosecutors attempt to disqualify David York and Christ Coumanis after the attorneys exposed government deception in court documents. Prosecutors failed to prove that David York participated "personally and substantially" in the Applied Pharmacy investigation as a former U.S. Attorney between 2001 and 2006; government prosecutors decided against producing the documents they said supported their motion to disqualify at a court hearing ...
Slate Pharmaceuticals Supports Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Pro Athletes
Robert Whitehead, the President and CEO of Slate Pharmaceuticals, released a statement defending the use of the anabolic steroid testosterone by professional athletes when prescribed by a physician to treat low testosterone levels. Slate is the manufacturer of Testogel testosterone pellets. The statement is noteworthy because it represents the first time big pharma has been bold enough to criticize the anti-doping policies in professional sports. The pharmaceutical company CEO's press release supported golfer Doug Barron in his lawsuit against the PGA Tour. Barron was the first golfer banned by the PGA for violating the policy on the use of performance enhancing drugs ("PGA Tour's ...
New York Times Highlights Steroid Use in IFBB Pro Bodybuilding
The New York Times highlighted the widespread use of steroids in competitive bodybuilding suggesting that anabolic steroids cause a specific form of kidney disease known as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. This was the disease that required IFBB pro bodybuilder Flex Wheeler to undergo kidney transplant surgery. The article interviews three IFBB pro bodybuilders: Flex Wheeler, King Kamali, and Bob Cicherillo. The study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology allegedly establishes a direct link between steroid use and kidney damage
Government Seeks to Disqualify Lawyers for Doctor in Steroid Case
The federal government is unhappy with Dr. Jesse Haggard's selection of defense counsel in the Applied Pharmacy steroid case. The United States Attorney Office filed a motion with the court to disqualify David York and Chris Coumanis of Coumanis & York based on an alleged potential conflict of interest. David York brings considerable trial experience to the legal defense of Dr. Jesse Haggard. York was the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama for five years; he returned to private practice in 2006. York was also the former boss for Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Dobbins, the government's lead attorney in the Applied ...
IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Guy Ducasse Sentenced to One Month Imprisonment
IFBB professional bodybuilder Guy Ducasse was sentenced to one month imprisonment and 400 hours community service after pleading guilty to steroid distribution. United States District Judge Claire Eagan emphatically rejected the prosecution's argument that Ducasse was "no different than any other drug dealer and should be treated accordingly." Federal prosecutors had asked Judge Eagan to put Ducasse in jail for 15-21 months. Guy Ducasse's attorney, public defender Stephen Greubel, skillfully used testimony by the prosecution's star witness to lay the groundwork for requesting a reduced sentence of zero months for his client. Greubel argued that the use of anabolic steroids was expected ...
Jesse Haggard Prosecution, Medical Steroids and Excesses of Steroid Witch-Hunt
Dr. Jesse Haggard is quickly becoming a martyr to the cause of medical steroids. There is no better example of the excesses of the modern day steroid witch-hunt than the federal government's prosecution of the Arizona naturopathic physician. Dr. Haggard is being prosecuted by the federal government for allegedly prescribing anabolic steroids “outside the usual course of professional practice” and “not for legitimate medical purposes”. Yet Dr. Haggard not only met the standard of care but often established the medical standard of care with off-label prescribing of anabolic steroids supported by scientific and clinical evidence. In a recent communication, Dr. Haggard warned ...
Medical Director of Revolution Medical Center Denied Bail in Steroid Case
United States Magistrate Judge David Baker refused to release Dr. Jesse Haggard at a detention hearing at the U.S. Courthouse in Orlando. Dr. Haggard has been detained without bail as a flight risk pending his transfer to Mobile, Alabama sometime in the next 10-14 days. Federal prosecutors argued that Haggard knew he was under federal investigation at the time he moved to Costa Rica and that Haggard knew he should have surrendered based on postings on his personal blog and legal documents he signed before he left. Magistrate Judge Baker was not influenced by defense arguments that Haggard voluntarily surrendered and ...
More Featured Posts
Settlement Represents Model for Steroid Prosecutions Targeting Sports Nutrition Companies
VMG Global, the manufacturer of American Cellular Labs “Tren Xtreme” and “Mass Xtreme“, has pleaded guilty to one count of introducing unapproved drugs into interstate commerce and has agreed to a fine of up to $500,000. The VMG Global case is the first of several pending investigations targeting the marketing of steroidal compounds as dietary supplements since BALCO prosecutors... [Read more]
Jesse Haggard Defense Attorneys Remain on Steroid Case After Exposing Government Deception
Dr. Jesse Haggard was permitted to keep his chosen legal representation in the Applied Pharmacy steroid case after the federal government failed in their attempts to have his attorneys removed from the case. United States Magistrate Judge Sonja Bivins rejected the prosecutors attempt to disqualify David York and Christ Coumanis after the attorneys exposed government deception in court documents.... [Read more]
Slate Pharmaceuticals Supports Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Pro Athletes
Robert Whitehead, the President and CEO of Slate Pharmaceuticals, released a statement defending the use of the anabolic steroid testosterone by professional athletes when prescribed by a physician to treat low testosterone levels. Slate is the manufacturer of Testogel testosterone pellets. The statement is noteworthy because it represents the first time big pharma has been bold enough to criticize... [Read more]
New York Times Highlights Steroid Use in IFBB Pro Bodybuilding
The New York Times highlighted the widespread use of steroids in competitive bodybuilding suggesting that anabolic steroids cause a specific form of kidney disease known as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. This was the disease that required IFBB pro bodybuilder Flex Wheeler to undergo kidney transplant surgery. The article interviews three IFBB pro bodybuilders: Flex Wheeler, King Kamali, and... [Read more]
Government Seeks to Disqualify Lawyers for Doctor in Steroid Case
The federal government is unhappy with Dr. Jesse Haggard’s selection of defense counsel in the Applied Pharmacy steroid case. The United States Attorney Office filed a motion with the court to disqualify David York and Chris Coumanis of Coumanis & York based on an alleged potential conflict of interest. David York brings considerable trial experience to the legal defense of Dr. Jesse Haggard.... [Read more]
IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Guy Ducasse Sentenced to One Month Imprisonment
IFBB professional bodybuilder Guy Ducasse was sentenced to one month imprisonment and 400 hours community service after pleading guilty to steroid distribution. United States District Judge Claire Eagan emphatically rejected the prosecution’s argument that Ducasse was “no different than any other drug dealer and should be treated accordingly.” Federal prosecutors had asked Judge... [Read more]
Jesse Haggard Prosecution, Medical Steroids and Excesses of Steroid Witch-Hunt
Dr. Jesse Haggard is quickly becoming a martyr to the cause of medical steroids. There is no better example of the excesses of the modern day steroid witch-hunt than the federal government’s prosecution of the Arizona naturopathic physician. Dr. Haggard is being prosecuted by the federal government for allegedly prescribing anabolic steroids “outside the usual course of professional practice”... [Read more]
Medical Director of Revolution Medical Center Denied Bail in Steroid Case
United States Magistrate Judge David Baker refused to release Dr. Jesse Haggard at a detention hearing at the U.S. Courthouse in Orlando. Dr. Haggard has been detained without bail as a flight risk pending his transfer to Mobile, Alabama sometime in the next 10-14 days. Federal prosecutors argued that Haggard knew he was under federal investigation at the time he moved to Costa Rica and that Haggard... [Read more]
Naturopathic Physician Jesse Haggard Fights Steroid Charges in Florida Court
Dr. Jesse Haggard will appear today before United States Magistrate Judge David Baker in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in his first court appearance since voluntarily surrendering to federal authorities on Friday. Haggard will be represented by federal public defender Clarence W. Counts, Jr. Dr. Haggard had been living in Costa Rica for over a year preparing a scientific... [Read more]
iForce Nutrition Served Search Warrant During 2009 Olympia Expo
The FDA served iForce Nutrition and owner Dave Nelson with a search warrant during the course of the 2009 IFBB Olympia Expo. The search warrant was executed in the days following the FDA raid of Bodybuilding.com. Four iForce Nutrition products were listed as “undercover purchases” made at Bodybuilding.com. Both the iForce Nutrition search warrant and the Bodybuilding.com search warrant... [Read more]
Dr. Jesse Haggard Voluntarily Surrenders to Federal Agents on Steroid Distribution Charges
Dr. Jesse Haggard, the former clinical director of Revolution Medical Centers, will voluntarily surrender to federal agents in Florida on Friday, October 2, 2009. Haggard will be taken into custody at the Orlando International Airport and transported to Alabama where he faces steroid distribution charges. Dr. Haggard was indicted as part of the Applied Pharmacy Services criminal investigation announced... [Read more]
Bodybuilding.com Raided in Criminal Steroid Investigation on Eve of IFBB Olympia Weekend
The federal government continued their steroid witch-hunt targeting the dietary supplement industry with a raid of Bodybuilding.com on Thursday, September 24, 2009. The criminal investigation accuses Bodybuilding.com and its corporate officers of illegal marketing and distributing several anabolic steroids, unapproved new and misbranded drugs labeled fraudulently as dietary supplements, specifically... [Read more]
