Arizona shuts down firm in alleged penis pill scam
PHOENIX, May 29 (Reuters) - Authorities have shut down a local company and seized $30 million of its assets for allegedly selling bogus penile enlargement pills over the Internet, state officials said on Wednesday.
C.P. Direct, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, was put out of business and its Web sites closed following complaints about the company and its product that promised results within months of taking its supposedly potent yet costly "Longitude" pill, officials said.
Among the items seized were luxury cars, including a Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, Ferrari and Bentley, $20 million in bank accounts, $3 million in cash and a bounty of luxury jewelry, according to a list of the items.
Company officials could not be reached for comment.
The initial cost of the pills was $59.99, plus shipping and handling for a month's supply and $39.99 a month thereafter. Records showed the pills cost $2.50 per bottle to manufacture.
The company also allegedly sold pills that supposedly guaranteed height increases and bigger breasts, officials said.
"It's going to take time to find out how many people bought the pills," said Pati Urias, a state Attorney General's spokeswoman. "It appears they did quite a bit of volume."
Named in the civil forfeiture action was Michael A. Consoli, 44, and his mother, Geraldine Consoli, 76, and Vincent J. Passafiume, 28.
The three were warned by the state in 1996 about fraudulent practices when they operated a business that sold computers and other electronic equipment. In 1999, the Consolis and Passafiume were barred from doing business in Arizona through the mail, Internet or using other telecommunication devices.
05/29/02 22:47 ET |
