Importer Convicted Of Selling Sexual Enhancement Products Containing Prescription Drugs

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Richard Deng, 68, of Silver Spring, Md., pleaded guilty today to introducing into interstate commerce misbranded foods and drugs, in violation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.  In particular, Deng admitted unlawfully selling various male sexual enhancement dietary supplements that contained the active ingredients in the prescription drugs Viagra and Cialis, and dispensing the products without a prescription and in packaging that failed to disclose the existence of these substances.

Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Antoinette V. Henry, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.

Deng faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison when he is sentenced on August 1, 2014.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Deng admitted operating a business known as InterTradeCorp or InterTradeMart, which sold various imported items through its Beltsville, Md. storefront and over the Internet.  These products included sports apparel, DVDs and male sexual enhancement dietary supplements, many of which contained sildenafil, the active ingredient in prescription drug Viagra, and/or tadalafil, the active ingredient in prescription drug Cialis.  Deng admitted that after his Beltsville facility was searched in 2011 and the unlawful products were seized, he continued to sell the products.  After a second search warrant was executed at Deng’s business in 2013, authorities discovered additional male sexual enhancement dietary supplements unlawfully containing sildenafil.  Deng admitted that during the period 2011-2013, he received approximately $333,070 from the sale of these products.

The products seized and found to unlawfully contain prescription drugs include products known as the following: Vivid, LuRong Sheng Jing Wan, Good Man, Stree Overlord, Zhong Hua Niu Bien, Hard Ten Days, Africa Black Ant, Tiger King, Stiff Nights, Vegetal Vigra, Titan, Libigrow, Weekend Prince, Black Ant, Plant Vigra, Man King, Tibet Babao, Zhang Sheng Wei Ge Caho Yue Xi Li Shi, Mojo Risen, Clalis, Sensual Sensuel, and God of War Veyron.

These products were dispensed without a prescription and in packaging that failed to disclose the existence of prescription drugs.  Some of the products also contained dosages of sildenafil and tadalafil beyond those approved for Viagra and Cialis or contained combinations of those substances that have not been approved by the FDA.  Moreover, if the substances were to contraindicate with a user’s medical condition or prescription drugs, serious harm to the user could result.

This case was investigated by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Nathanson is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.