“Crying” Bob
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
A federal grand jury indicted Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, the company's President Steve Warshak, his mother and five additional defendants and co-conspirators on a total of 112 criminal charges Sept. 20. Warshak engaged in conspiracy to commit mail, wire and bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to obstruct proceedings before FTC and other criminal acts, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Gregory Lockhart alleges. Warshak, et al., defrauded consumers of more than $100 mil., according to Lockhart. If convicted, the defendants are expected to forfeit assets including several parcels of land, vehicles, and the contents of numerous bank and investment accounts, according to the filing. Berkeley, marketer of male enhancement supplement Enzyte, settled with the Attorney Generals of six states in March for $2.5 mil. (1"The Tan Sheet" March 6, 2006, p. 8). Earlier this month, the Cincinnati, Ohio-based firm issued a press release asserting they had reduced consumer complaints by 90% (2"The Tan Sheet" Sept. 11, 2006, In Brief)....
You may also be interested in...
“Smiling Bob” firm convicted
A federal jury on Feb. 22 convicts four executives of Cincinnati-based Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, marketer of Enzyte "male enhancement" supplements, of conspiracy and fraud on criminal charges of money laundering, fraud and obstruction of justice. A federal grand jury indicted the firm, Berkeley's President Steve Warshak, his mother and five additional defendants and co-conspirators on a total of 112 criminal charges in September 2006 (1"The Tan Sheet" Sept. 25, 2006, In Brief). The trial jury in the U.S. District Court for Southern Ohio also found on Feb. 26 that Berkeley, Warshak, his mother and TCI Media, another company owned by Warshak, should forfeit to the U.S. more than $33 million in assets that were proceeds of the crimes. In addition, the jury convicted Paul J. Kellogg and Steven P. Pugh. Berkeley also settled with six states in March 2006 for $2.5 million (2"The Tan Sheet" March 6, 2006, p. 8)...
Berkeley settlement
A court case filed in the district court of Dallas County, Texas precludes the five companies owned by Steven Warshak - including Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals - from fraudulently marketing 15 dietary supplements in the state. The banned supplements include male enhancement supplement Enzyte, noted for its "Smiling Bob" commercials. The case also stops deceptive "free trial" offers for the dietary supplements. Under the Feb. 1 settlement, Warshak will pay the state of Texas $350,000 in civil penalties and attorneys' fees. In September 2006 a federal grand jury indicted Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, Warshak, his mother and five additional co-conspirators on a total of 112 criminal charges (1"The Tan Sheet," Sept. 25, 2006, In Brief)...
Enzyte Marketer Berkeley Settles Complaints For $2.5 Mil.
Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals will pay $2.5 mil. in legal costs and restitution in accordance with a consent agreement, the firm announced March 1