Written by Alex Lloyd Goss
U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero announced that Jonathan Nice, 73, defrauded pet owners by selling fake drugs that claimed to cure their pets' cancer. Mr. Nice knew this was a scam, but he was still preying on the emotions of pet owners. His fraud brought in profits of almost $1 million.
In carrying out this plan, Nice founded several companies, including Canine Care, ACGT, and CAGT, through which he purported to develop drugs aimed at treating cancer in dogs. In early 2012, the defendants used various websites of these companies to sell these “cancer-curing” drugs to desperate pet owners, using the drug names “Tumexal” and “Naturazon.” Sold. These websites claim that “Tumexal is effective against various cancers'' and “[i]In fact, Tumexal almost always restores appetite, spirit, and energy in dogs with cancer. In fact, these drugs were merely a collection of bulk ingredients from various sources, which the defendants mixed themselves at a facility on Arcola Road in Collegeville.
A federal jury convicted Nice in December 2022 of wire fraud and interstate transportation of counterfeit animal drugs. The funds wasted on Nice's formula could have been spent on legal medicines and surgeries for animals. Okay, so if you're 73 years old now, there's a good chance you'll die in a federal prison.
“Jonathan Nice's actions in purchasing these worthless 'drugs' to desperate pet owners are criminal and cruel,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He deliberately exploited people's emotions and their love for sick dogs, purely for his own financial gain. Many people consider dogs to be part of the family, so dogs They are especially vulnerable to such schemes. We called on the judiciary to hold Mr. Nice accountable for deceiving victims and blaming the FDA.”
“The FDA's veterinary drug approval process ensures that our pets receive safe and effective products. is not acceptable,” said George A. Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge of the FDA's Division of Criminal Investigation, Metro Washington Field Office. “We will aggressively pursue and bring to justice criminals who put profit above the health and safety of our animal patients.”
