Medford, Oregon – Nicole Randall, a 37-year-old resident of Cedar Park, Texas, has been sentenced to a year of probation after pleading guilty to charges of introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce. The case, which culminated in the forfeiture of property and assets worth approximately $4 million, has exposed a complex scheme involving the smuggling and distribution of unapproved animal drugs, the Department of Justice, District of Oregon, said in a news release.
Court documents reveal that between February 2020 and May 2022, Randall organized an operation to import GS-441524 into the United States—a drug not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for either human or animal use. Ingeniously disguising the shipments as everyday items such as facial masks, pet shampoo, and other beauty products, she managed to evade detection for over two years.
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The operation was not merely a case of smuggling but also involved deceiving unsuspecting pet owners about the health of their pets. Operating under pseudonyms, Randall and accomplices exploited the Facebook group “FIP Warriors 5.0” to falsely diagnose cats and kittens with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a serious and often fatal viral disease in cats. They would then prescribe the unapproved GS-441524, taking advantage of pet owners desperate for a cure.
The deception was uncovered when an undercover agent joined the Facebook group and submitted photographs of a healthy cat, which had been recently examined by a qualified veterinarian. The cat was wrongly diagnosed with FIP, and GS-441524 was prescribed as a treatment. Randall facilitated payments for these transactions through various platforms such as Paypal, Zelle, and CashApp, carefully avoiding any mention of the actual nature of the products involved.
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The scope of Randall’s illicit activities became apparent in July 2022 when federal agents executed a search warrant at her Texas home. They discovered about 30 boxes filled with glass vials of the adulterated drug. Investigations showed that from July 2020 to June 2022, Randall had distributed an astounding number of 58,460 liquid vials and 236,836 pills containing GS-441524.
As a part of her plea agreement, Randall consented to the forfeiture of significant assets derived from her illegal activities. These included four real estate properties, ten financial accounts, and a Tesla, all of which were purchased with the proceeds from the smuggling and sale of the unapproved drugs.
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The case was investigated by the FDA and led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John C. Brassell and Katherine C. de Villiers for the District of Oregon. This prosecution underscores the serious consequences of circumventing FDA regulations and endangering public health, particularly in the domain of veterinary medicine. The forfeiture of Randall’s assets serves not only as a punishment but also as a stern warning to others who might contemplate similar fraudulent activities.