Wisconsin Man Indicted on Charges Related to the Illegal Importation and Sale of Prescription Drugs

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Oak Creek, Wisconsin was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy, use of a false name and address to conduct an unlawful business by means of the Postal Service, and two charges of introduction into interstate commerce, with the intent to defraud, misbranded drugs, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

The four-count indictment named Rashid Mohammad Khan, 57, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment presented to the court, the defendant participated in a conspiracy that involved the illegal importation of prescription drugs and the illegal sale of those drugs to consumers in the United States. The importation and sale of prescription medication is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration pursuant to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Federal law and regulation require that certain drugs, particularly dangerous drugs, contain certain warnings and only be administered under a doctor's care pursuant to a doctor's prescription. A drug is considered "misbranded" if, for example, the drug is sold without a prescription, if it fails to include the approved warnings, if the drug was not approved by the FDA, or if the drug ismanufactured in a facility not approved by the FDA.

Through various websites, members of the conspiracy advertised for sale to consumers in the United States various dangerous drugs that were sold without a prescription, were not administrated under the care of a doctor, did not provide the appropriate warnings, and were not manufactured in facilities approved by the FDA. Some of these misbranded drugs were sent through the Postal Service to the defendant, who then arranged to send themisbranded drugs through the Postal Service to consumers, including consumers in the Western District of Pennsylvania. To conceal his illegal conduct, the defendant used fictitious names and addresses.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 16 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, HomelandSecurity Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven

guilty.