The 1984 Olympic cycling gold medalist Alexi Grewal wrote an essay that has created quite a stir in the world of professional cycling. Grewal essentially implies that practically all the elite U.S. cyclists in the 1980s “stepped over the line” and doped in some fashion; this would implicate American cycling greats like Greg Lemond, Andy Hampsten and Bob Roll. Bill Hue of Trust But Verify calls Grewal the “Jose Canseco of the 1980s cycling era.”
Grewal feels that athletes who cheat should be put in prison for several years since it is such a serious crime.
When will it end? When Floyd Landis or Tyler Hamilton or any one of the many other “all prisoners are innocent,” fallen stars finally and ultimately does hard time. Don’t think they won’t, they will. Who are we kidding? Prisons and jails are filled with men whose transgressions are much less.
Really? Which criminals are in prison for less severe crimes than doping in a professional sporting event? Maybe so-called criminals who use steroids for non-medical purposes but do not compete in competitive sports? Has our world gone a little crazy regarding steroids and doping such that we have inflated the seriousness of doping over REAL crimes against person and property?
Rant Your Head Off discusses the unintended consequences of putting dopers in prison for a signifcant portion of their lives.
Of course, if it’s approached as a crime and real jail time is involved, that would move the prosecution of doping cases out of the hands of the anti-doping agencies and into the hands of the justice system. This could have some unintended consequences, like forcing the practices of the anti-doping system into greater public view. And that would not be a bad thing, by the way, because the challenges to the system that would certainly happen (imagine the Landis case, but played out in a regular court, instead) would certainly force the whole anti-doping system to change. There would be a greater scrutiny of the testing methods involved, and that would ultimately serve to make those methods more robust.
Each sport has its own set of rules. Why should we consider throwing athletes in prison who violate one arbitrary rule (e.g. steroid use) but not other arbitrary rules? What makes steroid use so evil that we would consider imprisoning an athlete for doping but not the violation of other rules that may offer unfair advantages?
Brian Wainstein, one of the owners of GenXXL, served 4 months in prison for the unlawful possession, sale, and distribution of anabolic steroids. Wainstein served only four months out of a 2 year suspended sentence.
Brian Wainstein (42) - a South African national with an address at Bank Lodge, Knockraheen, Roundwood in Co Wicklow - received the orders for the banned drugs by e-mail from customers all over the world, including the USA.
Aaaah…yes. Brilliant. Put your real public address and attach it to a fucking site where you are breaking your own countries law plus international law. Brilliant. Better yet, have your screen name be “England” or something brilliant like that, and then sell steroids on a public website from “England”.
By marketing anabolic steroids on his website GenXXL.com under the GenXXL Gear brand, he publicly provided authorities with the physical location where the anabolic steroids were stored and shipped.
He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine charges arising out of the unlawful possession sale and distribution of the illicit substances at Croswaithe Park South, Dun Laoghaire in 2003.
The address from which Wainstein distributed anabolic steroids was the same as the publicly published address listed online:
27 Crossthwaite Park West
Dunloaghaire, Co Dublin
This highlights the lack of sophistication (among other things) that exists in the underground labs that produce anabolic steroids. Consumers of steroids produced by underground labs must not only be concerned by the quality control issues arising from amateur UGLs but also the legal risks associated with illicitly buying from steroid dealers who are unable to maintain minimum standards of discretion for their own operations much less their customers.
Axio Labs has been publicly linked to Brian Wainstein and GenXXL.com for some time, both before and after Wainstein was busted. Recently, Axio Labs has also stopped shipping anabolic steroids to the United States; long claiming to be the “next British Dragon,” Axio Labs now no longer wants to be associated with British Dragon after the steroid bust in Thailand and the co-founder’s extradition to the United States. There has been a lot of anxiety about the status of Axio Labs after the recent events involving the British Dragon bust. Axio Labs alleged association with Brian Wainstein only heightens that anxiety.
Bottom line - while it is never a good idea to illegally import anabolic steroids into the United States, it is a particularly bad time now.
Former NPC Bodybuilder Tom Vigliatura has been falsely accused of selling steroids by reporter Lee Hammel of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette newspaper in Massachusetts. However, I am certain that this false accusation is the least of Thomas Vigliatura’s concerns; Vigliatura has been in prison since August 2005. He was sentenced this week to 51 months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit his home and his defunct supplement store, T. Vig’s Sports Supplements Unlimited for selling Ecstasy, Cocaine and GHB - but NOT steroids (”Bodybuilder gets 51 months, forfeits home and business,” March 24).
Thomas J. Vigliatura, 40, of 118 Santoro Road, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy from 2002 to 2004 to distribute illegal steroids known as GHB and GBL and to possess cocaine and Ecstasy as well as distribution of GBL and GHB.
Reporter Lee Hammel wants to throw in steroid distribution as one of the charges when he erroneously identifies GHB and GBL as steroids. It upsets me that so many reporters remain blissfully ignorant about anabolic steroids and fail to perform even basic fact checking when it comes to basic questions like “what are anabolic steroids?” Why should reporters stick to the facts? Maybe Hammel just assumed that he was selling anabolic steroids since, after all, Vigliatura was a competitive bodybuilder.
Anabolic steroids are already being demonized by the current tidal wave of steroid hysteria permeating the United States. There is no need to false associate steroids to a criminal case involving cocaine and ecstasy, police corruption and threats against a federal prosecutor that has nothing to do with steroids. But anything to further demonize steroids must be the new journalistic standard?
Thanks to reporter Lee Hammel, the Associated Press has picked up the story and syndicated it nationally using Hammel’s inaccurate reporting regarding steroids (”Bodybuilder sentenced on drug charges,” March 25).
Thomas Vigliatura pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute illegal steroids and possession of cocaine and Ecstasy…
The distribution of drugs like cocaine, ecstasy, and GHB has been a different enterprise from the distribution of anabolic steroids. (Although this distinction is starting to disappear as the federal steroid witch hunt threatens to push the entire steroid market completely underground.) The differences in cocaine/ecstasy/GHB distribution and anabolic steroid distribution is highlighted by the former group’s reluctance to testify or “snitch” on co-conspirators and the latter group’s widespread and eager willingness to “rat out” co-conspirators in exchange for leniency (”Bodybuilder’s sentence is bulked up by judge: six months,” July 27, 2007).
[Thomas J. Vigliatura] reiterated his contention that he refused to testify out of fear of reprisal to himself and his family…
“In no way was I trying to attempt to impede justice in any way,” Mr. Vigliatura told the judge before sentencing. “Most of you don’t know what it’s like where I live.”
Mr. Vigliatura’s real concern is his “reputation as a stand-up guy…”
Mr. Vigliatura did not want to be known as “a cooperator, snitch, rat, informant.”
Steroid dealers and distributors have not historically had the same concerns. But the federal war on steroids is close to succeeding at making the underground anabolic steroid market more dangerous than ever before for steroid users and steroid dealers alike.
Howard Levine, M.D. of Northwest Lifestyle Medicine was sentenced to almost two years in prison for dealing anabolic steroids out of his Seattle medical office. According to court documents, Levine sold approximately FIFTY - 10mL vials of anabolic steroids (including nandrolone decanoate, stanozolol, testosterone enanthate, trenbolone acetate as well as oxymetholone tablets, human growth hormone, and nandrolone decanoate and testosterone gels) to two undercover agents and a paid DEA confidential source over the course of 18 months. Levine also sold several thousand dollars worth of anabolic steroids to a Las Vegas trainer for local bodybuilders on at least one occasion.
Over the course of the investigation, Dr. Levine was always alone in his medical office; there were no secretaries, nurses, or other administrative support staff present but he had a pool table a refrigerator full of beer. Levine never conducted any sort of medical assessment or history before prescribing steroids. During the course of the investigation, Levine discussed the resale of steroids by his clients including suggested prices. He also told his clients that they were considered drug dealers under the law and suggested that they refer their customers to him to avoid the possibility of criminal prosecution; he even offered to pay them a referral fee if they chose to do that.
Search warrants executed on Levine’s MSN and AOL email accounts (seattelmd@hotmail.com and ageisonlyanumber@aol.com) revealed that he sold steroids over the internet using the alias “Alan” where customers paid by credit card; there was no physical examination or medical questionnaire or any semblance of a doctor-patient relationship.
Levine was previously disciplined for selling Viagra over the internet via his company Confirmed.com LLC and ordered to cease selling prescription drugs via email and over the internet.
Levine was sentenced to prison for trying to extort $500,000 from Jack-in-the-Box stating that he was given spoiled chicken and threatening to take his story to the New York Times.
Did you ever wonder how an internet source gets busted? It’s often a textbook process by the feds in many cases. Most sources are not particularly sophisticated. And you usually have a couple of low level sources and partners who flip the bigger internet source. These guys are richly rewarded by our criminal justice system. Court documents provide some insightful details.
It started with the arrest of Jacob Piergiovanni aka “D2K3″ on April 10, 2007. D2K3’s computer revealed he had imported about 2,000 lbs of steroid powder since 2003. D2K3 was busted thanks to a cooperating defendent in Louisiana.
Two weeks later, under instruction from the feds, Piergiovanni used his email account d2k3@cyber-rights.net to place an order for anabolic steroid powders from “Worldwide” at worldwidegrowth@hushmail.com.
On April 26, 2007, FDA Special Agent David Westall used D2K3’s handle and email account to arrange the purchase of 2 kilograms of powder testosterone propionate, testosterone base, and testosterone enanthate from Worldwide for $1600.
On April 28, 2007, Worldwide requested that two payments of $800 be sent via Western Union to Alex Lewis in Ingliss, Florida with identification requirement waived in favor of a test question and answer.
On April 30, 2007, undercover SA David Westall using the handle D2K3 made payment according to Worldwide’s instructions.
On May 21, 2007, Worldwide emailed D2K3 (SA Westall) to inform him that steroid powders arrived from China.
On May 23, 2007, Worldwide shipped the steroid powder to an undercover mailbox in Brunswick, George that SA Westall provided as a shipping address.
On May 24, 2007, just over one kilogram of steroid powder was received at the undercover box. The steroid powder was shipped from Antioch, Tennessee.
At this point, federal investigators knew that Worldwide was not operating alone. Someone else was receiving and remailing steroids for Worldwide. So, they arranged a sting operation to bust Worldwide’s partner in Tennessee.
On May 25, 2007, SA Westall asked if Worldwide would be willing to receive steroid shipments from China on his behalf. SA Westall did not want to use Worldwide’s source but wanted to use his own Chinese steroid supplier.
Worldwide agreed to receive 2 kilograms of steroid powder from SA Westall’s China powder source and remail it to SA Westall (still operating under D2K3 handle). The fee for this service was $350 payable via Greendot pre-paid Visa/Mastercard.
On May 28, 2008, SA Westall purchased a Greendot card at CVS Pharmacy and emailed the card number to Worldwide.
SA Westall then requested a mailing address from Worldwide where the Chinese steroid powder could be shipped.
SA Westall then made an undercover purchase of steroid powder from a Chinese supplier of anabolic steroids identified as “top_hormone”. We believe this is well-known spammer Andy Xu who spammed various bodybuilding message boards using the following email addresses and websites:
On May 29, 2007, Worldwide told SA Westall to have the Chinese steroid supplier ship the steroids to Jeff Beaty’s home address; Worldwide unknowingly gave up his partner, including real name and home address, to the feds.
SA Westall paid “top_hormone” $1217 for two kilograms of powder steroids.
On May 30th and May 31, 2007, “top_hormone” shipped two kilograms of powder steroids via expedited delivery in two shipments to Jeff Beaty aka “The Priest” in Antioch, Tennessee.
On June 2nd and June 4, 2007, both packages of steroids arrived at the Nashville, Tennessee post office.
On June 4, 2007, federal agents executed an anticipatory search warrant at Jeff Beaty’s house where they found the two kilograms of steroid powder from top_hormone. The next day they were surprised to see another shipment arrive from China containing 100 vials of growth hormone along with a FedEx envelope with $2300 cash.
Federal agents learned that Beaty received steroids and growth hormone from China and remailed them on behalf of Worldwide. In addition, Beaty was responsible for the receipt of payments for internet steroid sales and wiring payment to Chinese suppliers of steroids and growth hormone on behalf of Worldwide.
“The Priest” gave investigators Worldwide’s phone number. The feds subpoenaed phone records and learned that the phone number was the home phone registered to Matthew Jack (subsequently identified as the father of Worldwide) in Homosassa, Florida. The feds learned that David Paul Jack aka Worldwide lived with his mom and dad at that residence.
On June 14, 2007, a search warrant was executed at the home of Worldwide’s elderly mother and father in Homosassa, Florida. His parents confirmed their son had several Greendot cards in various different names, they identified their son’s voice in voice messages left on Jeff Beaty’s phone, and permitted investigators to review their caller id box where Jeff Beaty’s phone number appeared multiple times. The stated they did not know Beaty and their son was the only other person in the household who made and received phone calls.
David Paul Jack’s girlfriend gave up all the fraudulent names and identities used for Greendot cards and his internet handles including “bjbowden”. She told investigators that Worldwide also had a partner in California in addition to the “The Priest” in Tennessee.
“The Priest” continued to cooperate with federal investigators and allowed the feds to use his online identity in ongoing correspondence with Worldwide.
The Outcome
All three people involved face similar steroid distribution and conspiracy charges, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids. They all faced up to 5 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
David Paul Jack aka “Worldwide” and “bjbowden” pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. He was sentenced to 48 months in prison on December 18, 2007. In exchange, he got to choose which prison he would serve his sentence. His 15-month old daughter is now being raised by his parents.
Jacob Piergiovanni aka “D2K3″ pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. He was sentenced to 5 years probations on December 10, 2007 in exchange for his cooperation with the feds.
Jeff Beaty aka “The Priest” pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. He was sentenced to 5 years probation on February 15, 2008 in exchange for his cooperation with the feds.
