- A federal grand jury indicted Swapnadip Roy and Vicky Ramancha over alleged counterfeit Ozempic sales.
- Roy pleaded not guilty after extradition from Italy, and Ramancha remains at large.
- Prosecutors say the fake drug was sourced in China and sold between July 2023 and April 2024.
- The pair face up to 71 years in prison if convicted.
A US federal grand jury has indicted two Indian nationals on charges of smuggling and selling counterfeit Ozempic, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.
Swapnadip Roy pleaded not guilty after being extradited from Italy, while his co-defendant, Vicky Ramancha, remains at large, the department said.
Prosecutors allege that between July 2023 and April 2024, Roy and Ramancha obtained counterfeit Ozempic in China and sold it to US distributors at discounted prices.
The fake medication allegedly came with packaging, inserts and labels designed to convince buyers they were receiving the genuine product. Ozempic, a diabetes drug widely used for weight loss, can cost patients hundreds of dollars a month.
"The scheme continued even after the FDA seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public warning regarding the products," the Justice Department said, referring to the US Food and Drug Administration.
Roy and Ramancha are charged with smuggling and selling counterfeit drugs, and with conspiracy to commit smuggling and to defraud the United States. They face up to 71 years in prison if convicted.
(With inputs from agencies)
