$100 million mail-order swindle:executives admit guilt in supplement scam

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1138268505217260.xml&coll=2

Ex-executives admit guilt in supplement scam

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Cincinnati- Americans were swindled out of more than $100 million by a mail-order operation in Ohio that sold over-the-counter herbal supplements and vitamin pills promising everything from slimmer bodies to better sex.

The pills probably worked best to separate people from their money.

Former top executives of Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals Inc. in Cincinnati admitted Wednesday that the firm charged credit cards without authorization and altered credit card numbers and expiration dates to keep money flowing.

Ex-insiders describing the scam had held high-level positions, including president, vice president, controller and a division head...

[SidDithers]

1. Posted into GD too...

There are often debates about pharma vs naturopathic in there. Thanks for posting. :)

Sid

[patdem]

2. This is about bad guys, not bad medicine...or have you quit using energy

since Enron? or cell phones since Quest?

[SidDithers]

3. It's about the fact that big business is big business...

whether it's big pharma, or the huge natural supplements industry. There is this perception that natural supplements companies are altruistic, and only have your best health in mind. Obviously, that's not always the truth.

Sid

[Kelvin Mace]

4. *sigh*

The pills probably worked best to separate people from their money.

Here the article starts off with a headline about a "swindle", then the reporter immediately qualifies the story with the weasel word "probably".

What is wrong with these people? Why can't they simply state the truth without qualification? The pill were NOT going to make you slimmer or improve your sex life. It was a scam.