Hermitage Man Sentenced for Importing and Selling Drugs Not Approved by FDA

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 3 years of probation on his conviction of a charge of conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Emil Koledin, a/k/a Butch, age 61.

According to information presented to the court, Koledin operated a business out of Hermitage home called Koledin Enterpsises, Inc., that sold various illegal drugs manufactured primarily in Russia and China though the website awakebrain.com. Koledin sold the drugs as "nootripics", which he described as "Smart drugs, memory enhancers, neuro exchangers, and intelligence enhancements." He falsely represented these drugs as legal to sell in the United States. In fact, these are drugs that were illegally imported into the United States and illegal to sell in the United States because they are not approved for sale by the Food and Drug Administration, the products do not contain the properly labeling, directions for use and warnings, and because they were manufactured in unapproved facilities. Some of the illegal drugs Koledin was selling include the following: Adrafinil, a/k/a Noofon; Bromantane; Coluracetam; Etifoxine, a/k/a Stresam; Noopept; Piracetam, a/k/a Nootropil; Phenylpiracetam, a/k/a Phenotropil; Sunifiram; Theanine; and Tianetine.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Koledin.