Florida Businessman Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake & Misbranded Drugs
Robert Lohr sold the fakes via a fake pharmacy known as either “American Drug Club of Bradenton” or “Canadian American Drug Club.” Lohr made over $1 million selling his counterfeit medication to unsuspecting patients.
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) reports that Bradenton, Florida resident Robert Lohr has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States. Lohr sold both counterfeit name-brand prescription medications and so-called herbal supplements that were in fact made up of prescription drugs, according to the DOJ.
The counterfeits he sold ranged from counterfeits of Lipitor (a statin), Aciphex (an acid-reflux treatment) and various ED medications, as well as herbal dietary supplements made of real unlisted medicine ingredients that were offered for all manner of ailments.
The DOJ notes that “At no time was Lohr ever licensed as a pharmacist, a drug importer, or drug wholesaler. Neither was American Drug Club a licensed pharmacy or licensed drug importer or wholesaler.”
“Lohr generated more than $1.1 million in sales from these counterfeit drugs. The proceeds were deposited in the form of cash, third-party customer checks, and bank card transactions into business and personal bank accounts controlled by Lohr and others,” according to the DOJ.
The Bradenton Herald reports, “Between March 21, 2014, and Sept. 15, several undercover purchases of misbranded, unapproved and counterfeit prescription drugs were made from Lohr’s business.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Food and Drug Administration have investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorneys Kelley Howard-Allen and Holly Gershow are acting as prosecutors in the case.