A U.S. has charged a Hermitage, Pennsylvania businessman connected to an operation that prosecutors allege sold misbranded and unapproved new drugs, WYTV reported.
In March of 2017, federal agents and Hermitage police raided a house in the town connected to the website awakebrain.com run by Koledin Enterprises.
The business, operated by Russian-American Emil or Butch Koledin, claimed to sell memory enhancers and smart drugs advertised as nootropics. The website also called the drugs neuro exchangers and intelligence enhancers.
Scott Brady, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, alleges in a court filing the company distributed many drugs that were manufactured for the Russian market, had labeling in Russian, and were not approved for distribution in the U.S.
The bill of information accused Koledin Enterprises of importing many of the drugs mainly from Russia and China and exporting them to Canada.
Among 40 counts filed against the business, included is conspiracy which was also filed against Koledin.
The document alleges that both defendants “distributed and caused the distribution of the misbranded and unapproved new drugs to consumers in the United States and in other countries.”
The other charges against Koledin Enterprises are the sale of merchandise imported contrary to law, the sale of merchandise exported contrary to law, the sale of misbranded drugs with the intent to defraud, mail fraud and wire fraud.
A waiver and plea hearing for Emil Koledin has been scheduled for May 23. At the time of the raid, the home was listed as owned by Emil and Maria Koledin. Mrs. Koledin used to be on the Hermitage Board of Commissioners.
