Drug Smuggler Sentenced

PHILADELPHIA - Naman Bader, aka “John C. Koshy,” 34, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for smuggling and illegally distributing more than two million prescription pills, such as Xanax, Valium, Phentermine, Ativan, Klonopin, Ambien, and their generic equivalents, valued at approximately $10,310,406. Additionally, approximately 25,000 counterfeit Viagra and Cialis pills were seized in international mail parcels during the course of the investigation. Bader pleaded guilty on September 5, 2012, to conspiracy to possess controlled substances with the intent to distribute and to receive merchandise brought into the United States contrary to law and distribution of a controlled substance in a school zone.

Between February 2011 and October 2011, Bader participated in a conspiracy to import and distribute pharmaceutical controlled substances. He received bulk shipments of pills from overseas, delivered some of the pills to conspirators to repackage for customer orders, and forwarded other boxes of bulk pills to other conspirators across the county. Bader also shipped pills to people who had placed orders over the internet without prescriptions. Bader conducted some of this business using a mail box at a commercial mailbox store on Castor Avenue in Philadelphia.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jan E. DuBois ordered Bader to pay a special assessment of $200, and ordered three years of supervised release.

Bader’s co-conspirator, Rehan Shah, was sentenced on December 5, 2012, to 15 months in prison.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Albert S. Glenn.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525