Counterfeit Ozempic scheme: Two face federal charges in Florida
Counterfeit Ozempic scheme busted in Florida
A scheme to sell fake Ozempic in Florida has been busted. Two Indian citizens who were living in the United Arab Emirates are accused of selling counterfeit Ozempic to several companies across the state. FOX 13's Kylie Jones reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Two foreign nationals face federal charges in Florida for allegedly smuggling and distributing counterfeit Ozempic across the state at steep discounts.
Florida Ozempic fraud details
What we know:
Federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Florida charged Vicky Ramancha and Swapnadip Roy with smuggling, selling counterfeit drugs, and conspiracy to smuggle and defraud the United States. Investigators said the two defendants, who are Indian citizens living in the United Arab Emirates, helped move counterfeit Ozempic from illegitimate suppliers in China into the U.S.
According to a federal indictment, between 2023 and 2024, the pair stored thousands of fake units of the weight-loss drug in warehouses around the U.S., before selling them at heavily discounted prices to Florida businesses, including a company in Lakeland.
Investigators say the counterfeit drugs had fraudulent or missing serial numbers, and included fake packaging, labeling and needles designed to look like authentic Ozempic.
What we don't know:
Federal investigators have not confirmed whether Vicky Ramancha has been brought back to the U.S. to face federal charges in the case.
Medical dangers and trial
Why you should care:
Medical experts warn that fake prescription medications pose serious health risks.
"Counterfeit medications can have lots of things wrong with them," HealthTrack Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Goldberg said. "So, just having a box that looks authentic is not enough. The medicine could have no active compound in it. It could have something else that's terribly dangerous. The needle associated with it could be dirty, could carry infection. So, there are a lot of problems to be concerned about. That's why you want to have high confidence on who prescribed it and who supplied it.
He says you should be able to identify the prescriber's name on the box.
"You want to make sure you see the prescriber's name on it and also the pharmacy where it came from," Goldberg said. "And if you have any questions about the pharmacy, just check on the Florida Pharmacy Board website and confirm that it's an authentic pharmacy."
What's next:
Roy was extradited from Italy to the U.S. and appeared in a Tampa federal court earlier this week. If convicted on the charges, both defendants face decades in federal prison.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from federal court documents filed by the U.S. Department of Justice for the Middle District of Florida and an interview conducted with HealthTrack Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Goldberg.