Illegal Cancer Drugs Sold for $7 Million

SAN DIEGO (CN) - A 63-year-old Florida man faces up to 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to import unapproved cancer drugs and selling them for $7 million to doctors across the United States.

Martin Paul Bean III, of Boca Raton, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

He admitted that he illegally imported drugs from Pakistan, India and elsewhere from 2005 to 2011, and sold them for more than $7 million, the U.S. attorney said in a statement. He had the drugs shipped to Oberlin Medical Supply in San Diego.

"In pleading guilty, Bean acknowledged that he did business as GlobalRxStore, and marketed the drugs via an Internet website and through 'blast faxes' sent to doctors' offices," the U.S. attorney said in the statement. "GlobalRxStore operated a call center in Winnipeg, Canada, where orders from doctors in the United States were accepted by telephone, facsimile and electronic mail. Bean admitted that the GlobalRxStore website falsely stated that it was lawful to import the drugs from abroad and that such drugs could be sold and used in the United States. Bean further admitted that he falsely advised doctors that GlobalRxStore's association with Oberlin Medical Supply somehow made his conduct legitimate."

Bean admitted that he made $865,000 from the deals, and agreed to forfeit a 2004 Jaguar XJ he bought with the dirty money, prosecutors said.

In a related case, Maher Idriss pleaded guilty in March 2012 to running Oberlin Medical Supply and conspiring with Bean. Maher faces up to 20 years at his May 20 sentencing.

Bean's sentencing date has not yet been set.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit