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Owner of 'Smiling Bob' Company Indicted
AP ^ | 9/21/6 | DAN SEWELL

Posted on 09/21/2006 3:00:33 PM PDT by SmithL

CINCINNATI -- The maker of dietary supplements that claim to improve everything from sexuality to memory defrauded thousands of customers and banks of at least $100 million, federal authorities say.

A federal indictment names Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, its owner and president, Steven Warshak, and five other individuals, including Warshak's mother, on charges that include conspiracy, money laundering, and mail, wire and bank fraud. They are accused by federal authorities of luring customers with free-trial offers and money-back guarantees, then billing their credit cards without authorization.

Warshak, who has 107 counts against him, denies the accusations and will continue to operate the company, his attorney said Thursday.

The company, which recently said it has 5 million customers worldwide, is known for its "Smiling Bob" ads that depict a man whose life gets better after he uses the company's Enzyte for "natural male enhancement." The company markets nationally a variety of other products claiming to help everything from night vision to memory to female libido.

The company, based in suburban Forest Park, also used false advertising, the indictment charges. In one example, Wednesday's indictment cited ads placed in Penthouse and other male-oriented magazines that claimed Enzyte was developed after years of study by two doctors, one at Harvard and the other at Stanford.

"The company president and others made up information in their advertisements, such as endorsements by doctors that did not exist, and results of customer satisfaction surveys that had never been conducted," U.S. Attorney Greg Lockhart said.

Customers with complaints were told to write to a director of customer care who did not exist, the indictment alleges.

The Food and Drug Administration, Internal Revenue Service, postal inspectors and other agencies participated in the investigation.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: nutraceuticals; snakeoil
A less-than-honest snake oil salesman?
1 posted on 09/21/2006 3:00:33 PM PDT by SmithL
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To: martin_fierro

LOL!


2 posted on 09/21/2006 3:01:52 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (1 year guarantee against congenital defects.)
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To: SmithL

Lets see:

Felon.
Fraud.
Snake-oul salesman.
Deceiver.
Thief.


Ladies and Gentlemen, we have our next democrat candidate for President!


3 posted on 09/21/2006 3:10:48 PM PDT by FormerACLUmember
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Poor Bob, he's hanging his head now.


4 posted on 09/21/2006 3:17:47 PM PDT by SmithL (Where are we going? . . . . And why are we in this handbasket????)
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To: SmithL

Well, there went a significant source of Court TV's advertising revenue. I swear, every time I turned it on there for a while, sure enough in a few minutes I'd hear, "This...is Bob!"

}:-)4


5 posted on 09/21/2006 3:23:34 PM PDT by Moose4 (They caught me white and nerdy.)
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To: FormerACLUmember

that was our last Democrat candidate for President.


6 posted on 09/21/2006 3:36:46 PM PDT by stylin19a (I'm not just long, I'm Lama long !)
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To: SmithL

Are those the same people who used to overflow my email inbox with their ridiculous spam every morning? If so, I hope the judge throws the proverbial book at them, a big heavy book with a hard cover and sharp corners.


7 posted on 09/21/2006 3:45:03 PM PDT by epow
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To: SmithL


Who buys this stuff?


8 posted on 09/21/2006 3:47:03 PM PDT by onyx (1 Billion Muslims -- IF only 10% are radical, that's still 100 Million who want to kill us.)
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To: SmithL; Tijeras_Slim; Constitution Day
The company, which recently said it has 5 million customers worldwide, is known for its "Smiling Bob" ads that depict a man whose life gets better after he uses the company's Enzyte for "natural male enhancement."

Bob be smilin' large 'n' steppin' easssy, mon!

9 posted on 09/21/2006 3:52:42 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: SmithL
For some reason, I bet
Bob is still going strong.
and doing just fine. ;-)

10 posted on 09/21/2006 7:33:04 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ......Help the "Pendleton 8' and families -- http://www.freerepublic.com/~normsrevenge/)
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To: SmithL
> ...ads that depict a man whose life gets better after he uses the company's Enzyte for "natural male enhancement." ... everything from night vision to memory to female libido...

> "The company president and others made up information in their advertisements..."

Gee, ya think????

(Now where's that squirrel pic...?)

11 posted on 09/21/2006 10:53:26 PM PDT by dayglored (Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!)
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To: onyx; SmithL
> Who buys this stuff?

"Natural male enhancement"? This little guy, for starters...


12 posted on 09/21/2006 10:58:38 PM PDT by dayglored (Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!)
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To: SmithL

Pity this isn't in "News". It might do some people good to be reminded how successful an obvious fraud can be.

As for "Smiling Bob" I noticed in the new commercials he is grinning with a new younger prettier wife, apparently having dumped the middle aged one from the earlier commercials who had remained by his side though the many unenhanced years. So besides anything else Bob is a swine.

For this more then anything else I hope Bob gets a good long stretch.


13 posted on 09/22/2006 1:41:20 AM PDT by tlb
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To: SmithL

Glad to hear it. I absolutely hate the "smiling Bob" commercials and always suspected Enzyte was worthless and they were just fleecing the ignorant.


14 posted on 09/22/2006 1:48:52 AM PDT by Bullish ( Reality is the sure cure for fantasy.)
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To: SmithL
Customers with complaints were told to write to a director of customer care who did not exist, the indictment alleges.
I wonder if customers who don't exist will come forward with testimonials, unless they already have.
15 posted on 09/22/2006 6:40:53 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (updated my FR profile on Saturday, September 16, 2006. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: dayglored


LOL -- now I know, huh?
LOL!


16 posted on 09/22/2006 11:37:24 AM PDT by onyx (1 Billion Muslims -- IF only 10% are radical, that's still 100 Million who want to kill us.)
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