PHILADELPHIA — A Collegeville man was sentenced in federal court Friday for running a multiyear scheme to defraud pet owners out of money by falsely claiming to sell a drug that could treat cancer in dogs. In December 2022, a federal jury convicted Jonathan Nice, 73, of wire fraud and interstate transportation of counterfeit animal drugs.
He defrauded approximately 900 pet owners of nearly $1 million, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero.
Romero announced that Nice was sentenced to 97 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500 special assessment.
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. Starting in 2012, the defendants used various websites of these companies and used the drug names “Tumexal” and “Naturazone” to lure desperate pet owners into treating these “cancers,” according to the statement. He sold medicine that cured the disease.
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.
Additionally, through email and phone conversations, Mr. Nice promoted the effectiveness of his products in treating many canine cancers, offering owners of terminally ill dogs hundreds of dollars or more to purchase these drugs. The statement said he was induced to pay thousands of dollars.
He also told potential customers that they could have their pets participate in clinical trials, but they would have to pay a lot of money to do so. According to evidence presented at trial, the defendant sold approximately $1 million worth of drugs to approximately 900 different victims.
Because these drugs were not approved by the FDA, defendants' marketing, sale, and shipment of these drugs violated the Food and Drug Administration's Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Defendants even falsely claimed in their promotional materials that their research was “funded in part by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”
“Jonathan Nice's actions in purchasing these worthless 'drugs' to desperate pet owners were criminal and cruel,” Romero said. “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.”
This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration's Bureau of Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher E. Parisi.
