A federal district court has ordered the marketers of two dietary supplements –Supreme Greens and Coral Calcium – who claimed the products would cure ailments ranging from cancer and Parkinson’s disease to heart disease and autoimmune diseases to pay nearly $70 million for deceiving consumers about the products’ effectiveness and safety, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Named as defendants were Donald W. Barrett, his associate Robert Maihos, and two companies they control: Direct Marketing Concepts Inc. and ITV Direct Inc., according to the FTC.
They were accused of making these unlawful claims regarding Supreme Greens and Coral Calcium, and with making unauthorized credit and debit charges, according to the FTC.
The FTC also charged three other defendants – Allen Stern and two companies he controls – with deceptively marketing Coral Calcium, according to the Commission.
U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ordered Stern, King Media Inc., and Triad ML Marketing, Inc. to pay $20.4 million for consumer refunds, according to the FTC.
The court also froze the assets of Barrett, Maihos, Direct Marketing Concepts, and ITV Direct and ordered them to pay $48.2 million for consumer refunds, according to the Commission.
The court barred them from making deceptive claims about Coral Calcium; misrepresenting that scientific research validated their claims; and making any health, performance, or efficacy claims about any food, drug, dietary supplement, cosmetic or device unless they are true, non-misleading, and substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence, the Commission continued.
In July 2008, the court found that Barrett, an alleged infomercial pitchman and his affiliates deceptively touted Supreme Greens to treat, cure, or prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis, according to the FTC.
Barrett also allegedly deceptively claimed that the product could cause dramatic weight loss and could safely be taken by children, pregnant women, and people on medication, according to the FTC.
In addition, Barrett allegedly marketed, Coral Calcium, which the court found he and the other defendants deceptively claimed could treat cancer, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases; could be absorbed in greater quantity and more quickly than other calcium products; and could be completely absorbed by the body, according to the FTC.
Barrett also wrongfully claimed that scientific research had proven calcium supplements could prevent, reverse, or cure cancer in humans, the FTC charged.
