Crime & Safety

Ohio Marketing Company to Pay $1.8 Million to Settle Lawsuit with Bay Area District Attorneys' Offices

Suarez Corporation Industries and owner Benjamin Suarez were sued for selling or trying to sell unapproved food, drugs and medical devices throughout California

By Bay City News—

An Ohio marketing company charged with false and misleading marketing of food, drugs and medical devices agreed this week to pay $1.8 million in a civil penalty and restitution to settle a lawsuit with several Bay Area district attorneys' offices.

Benjamin Suarez and his company, Suarez Corporation Industries, were sued for selling or trying to sell unapproved food, drugs and medical devices throughout California since 2006.

The district attorney's offices in Napa, Marin, Solano and Sonoma counties were among the nine members of the California Nutritional Supplemental Task Force that filed the civil law enforcement action in Alameda County Superior Court in June 2011.

The final judgment was signed Tuesday by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Wynne Carvill.

The complaint alleged Suarez Corporation Inc. and Suarez promoted and marketed purported quick weight loss and health and pain control management products using false, unsubstantiated and misleading advertising.

The complaint also alleged Suarez Corporation Inc. violated a 2006 permanent injunction from making untrue marketing claims regarding diet supplements.

Under the settlement, Suarez and his company agreed to be bound by a permanent injunction from misbranding foods, drugs and devices, selling unapproved drugs or devices and making unsubstantiated scientific claims about nutritional supplements.

Suarez Corporation Inc., a direct marketer, also did business as Bio Tech Research, prosecutors said.

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