Mother and son arrested in New York for selling fake cancer drugs

Police arrested a mother and son in Bellerose (an area on the eastern outskirts of Queens, New York) for their alleged role in selling online products made from apricot seeds that supposedly prevent cancer. About this with reference to the statements of prosecutors writes AM New York.

“50-year-old Jason Vale and his mother, Barbara Vale, were arrested at their 23 house on October. Barbara was to be prosecuted on Wednesday afternoon before being brought before a federal court in Brooklyn, ”the publication notes.

Shortly after his arrest, Jason was taken to the nearest hospital. However, prosecutors could not confirm when he was charged and why he was taken to hospital.

What happened

Between 2013 and October 2019, Jason and Barbara allegedly used the website to sell products made from apricot seeds that they claim to prevent cancer.

“The apricotsfromgod.info website claims that cyanide in apricot seeds can kill cancer growth in the body. Jason, who claims to have survived the cancer, said the consumption of food and letril, an apricot seed extract, were key to defeating his incurable cancer, ”the source said.

At the same time, the case file contains a document from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It says: The FDA does not support the claim that apricot seeds, the same lethri, can treat or control cancer.

“There are no published clinical studies confirming that letril is safe or effective not only for treating cancer, but also for other diseases,” the source notes.

Investigation

In accordance with the complaint, in the 2018 and 2019 years, secret agents made purchases on the Weyls website and transferred the payment to the PayPal account.

As it turned out, the email address associated with the PayPal account was allegedly owned by Barbara. And from January 2013 of the year to 22 of September of 2019 of the year, according to the complaint, processed products made from apricot seeds worth more than $ 850 thousand.

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Court documents claim that a further search for an email address found emails from dissatisfied customers, including a buyer who said he was poisoned by products purchased on this site.

Barbara also allegedly said in her emails that Jason "continued to keep his business afloat."

After FDA undercover agents made several orders from the website, Barbara's house on 234 Street was put under surveillance. As a result, it was discovered that Jason and Barbara together ran a business from home.

Arrest

According to a criminal complaint, Jason was convicted of committing the same acts in 2003. He was banned from selling their products. Jason was charged with contempt of court and sentenced to five years and three months in prison in 2004.

After the arrest of Barbara on Wednesday, October 23, barrels of dangerous liquid were discovered in her house, which, according to a source familiar with the case, is dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

On Wednesday afternoon, a group of Hazmat workers worked to remove these barrels.

“According to the US National Library of Medicine, if DMSO gets on the skin, the compound can cause a burning sensation and lead to the smell of garlic when breathing,” the source explained.

It is also reported that once this substance was used to treat damage from chemotherapy. However, the FDA has stopped using it.

Neighbors said they were shocked to see the arrest of Barbara and her son.

“We never noticed anything. It's amazing that they did this, ”said Bellerose resident Joginder Singh.

Navnet Kaur added: “We did not expect this at all. It's so quiet here. Everyone greets each other. We are shocked. ”

Another resident who has been living in this area for 28 years also said that she was amazed to learn about her neighbor’s alleged misconduct.

"I do not know what's going on. All that I understood from what was said to me was that they were doing what they should not be doing, ”said Denill Lopret. “We had no reason to think that they ever did something like that.” There was not a single sign. ”