KESSLER INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES MAJOR SEIZURE OF COUNTERFEIT PRESCRIPTION STEROID CREAMS.

NEW YORK, NY… September 10, 2001...Kessler International, the worlds leading forensic accounting and investigative consulting firm, in collaboration with the Queens County District Attorney and the NYS Police Department, announced the execution of a search warrant and a major seizure of counterfeit prescription steroid creams. 

This seizure is Kessler International’s latest effort to locate counterfeit prescription products and help put a stop to their illegal sale. The undercover operation led to the confiscation of a truckload of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, financial records, and computers. The seized material will be presented to a grand jury that will decide the future of the case. 

"The parties involved illegally imported and sold pharmaceutical creams in the United States, as if they were simple over-the-counter cosmetic products," said Michael G. Kessler, President & CEO of Kessler International. "But they violated the law, failed to cover their tracks, and were caught red-handed."  

The drugs were being sold as a miracle cure for dark skin. The women who used these products said the dark spots on their faces and bodies faded and there appeared to be a new and improved glow emanating from their skin.

However the women who liberally applied these creams to their bodies as if they were a daily moisturizer, overlooked the serious side effects related to their prescribed use. Many of the counterfeit pharmaceuticals contain undisclosed amounts of an industrial bleach, which is primarily used as a developer for black and white photography, lithography, and X-ray films. In pharmaceutical creams it works to reduce the production of melanin, the skin protector and pigment that gives individuals their dark skin coloring.  

U.S. law requires the steroids in these creams be administered under the care of a licensed physician because of serious side effects that come along with usage. For example, if a steroid cream was used without proper instruction, the user could see stretch marks, thinning and tearing skin, rashes, welts, and acne. If the product was used on a regular basis for a prolonged period of time, more serious side effects including headaches, vomiting, poor breathing, convulsions, liver and kidney damage, and organ failure could occur.

Kessler International’s investigation into the diversion and sale of counterfeit and prescription pharmaceuticals is a continuing investigation. The firm provides services worldwide in the disciplines of forensic accounting, high technology/computer crime, intellectual property protection, special investigations, and risk management. Headquartered in New York City with offices worldwide, the firm is committed to protecting the interests of Fortune 500 companies in the global marketplace. 

For more information about Kessler International and their services, please refer to their website at www.investigation.com or call them at 212-286-9100.