California

6 People Face Charges in Fake Steroid Trafficking Scheme

Six people are facing charges in connection with a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit steroids, according the Department of Justice.

Tyler Bauman, 32, of Shrewsbury, Kathryn Green, 28, of Shrewsbury, Philip Goodwin, 36, of Lynn, Robert Medeiros, 31, of Gardner, Brian Petzke, 49, of Saugus, and Melissa Sclafani, 29, of Gloucester, are each facing one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit drugs and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

Officials say the suspects began a scheme to create illegal steroids with raw supplies, market them on social media, and sell them to people across the country via email.

The group allegedly marketed the steroids under “Onyx Pharmaceuticals”, using the name and symbol of Onyx, a pharmaceutical company owned by Amgen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company based in California.

Onyx does not manufacture liquid steroids.

The suspects allegedly made the steroids themselves and officials say Bauman promoted them under his online persona, “musclehead 320,” saying he was “sponsored” by Onyx.

Bauman, Goodwin and Sclafani also opened Wicked Tan, a tanning salon in Beverly, which allegedly served as a front to launder funds and purchase supplies.

All suspects are set to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston Wednesday afternoon.

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