Woman Arrested For Allegedly Selling Counterfeit Ozempic On TikTok After Buyer Develops Severe Lesions
Federal prosecutors revealed on Wednesday that a TikTok user from Long Island was apprehended for selling counterfeit weight loss drugs, including Ozempic, which were contaminated with bacteria.
This purported illicit activity resulted in at least one individual becoming ill with severe lesions.
Isis Navarro Reyes allegedly obtained various popular weight loss medications from Central and South America, including Ozempic, Mesofrance, and Acxion. She then purportedly marketed these drugs on TikTok through numerous videos spanning from November 2022 to January 2024, according to the Manhattan US Attorney's Office.
Reportedly, the woman from Shirley, New York, sold these medications, none of which were approved by the FDA for distribution in the United States, according to allegations outlined in a criminal complaint.
Reyes, known as Beraly Navarro online, allegedly conducted these sales without holding a license to distribute drugs and without requiring prescriptions from her customers, states the complaint.
Through her TikTok account "beralyreyes88," the 36-year-old allegedly exhibited the weight loss drugs, guiding viewers on their usage frequency, administration methods —including injection. She reportedly detailed potential side effects and asserted the efficacy of these drugs in a video posted on October 11, 2023, the filing alleges.
She allegedly provided her cellphone number in the videos, encouraging viewers to contact her to place orders.
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However, one recipient, a woman from White Plains, reportedly suffered lesions after self-administering 28 doses of Mesofrance, which she purchased from Reyes. The drugs were purportedly contaminated with bacteria, as per federal authorities.
As detailed in court documents, the victim reached out to Reyes in November 2022 after watching one of her TikTok videos and subsequently bought 30 doses of Mesofrance, which Reyes shipped to her residence in February 2023.
Following Reyes's audio instructions on administration, the woman purportedly administered the drug 28 times between February and June 2023.
According to the allegations, by July 13, 2023, the woman had developed lesions, which she documented and shared with Reyes, alerting her to her deteriorating condition. In October of the same year, a medical professional diagnosed her with mycobacterium abscessus infection resulting from bacterial contamination, characterized by its rapid growth and resistance to various medications.
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Subsequent testing conducted by the Department of Health in November confirmed the presence of the mycobacteria in the Mesofrance purchased from Reyes.
Reyes fell under law enforcement's radar earlier this year when she purportedly sold Ozempic to an undercover agent on January 7 for $375. The undercover operation began in December 2023, with the agent initiating contact with Reyes. Reportedly, Reyes did not request a prescription from the undercover agent.
Moreover, she purportedly confessed to procuring Mesofrance via Facebook and acknowledged halting its sale due to awareness of its illicit nature, as detailed in the complaint.
"Reyes's alleged unlawful dispensing of these drugs caused significant, life-threatening injuries to some victims and put all of her victims in harm's way," Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams said.
Scheduled to appear in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, the suspect is charged with smuggling, receipt of misbranded drugs in interstate commerce, dispensing of misbranded drug while held for sale, conspiracy, and related crimes.
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If found guilty on all six counts, she could face a maximum sentence of 25 years behind bars.
In April, TikTok announced a crackdown on influencers promoting weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, altering its policy to disallow before-and-after photos.
Ozempic, among other weight loss medications, has witnessed a significant surge in popularity, generating approximately $13.9 billion in revenue last year.
