Indian Nationals Arrested For Selling Fake Ozempic In US

India-West News Desk

TAMPA, FL – Two Indian nationals have been charged in the US in connection with an alleged scheme to distribute counterfeit Ozempic to US distributors, with one of them extradited from Italy and appearing in federal court here.

The indictment names Swapnadip Roy, 33, and Vicky Ramancha, 37, who are accused of obtaining counterfeit Ozempic from unauthorized sources in China and selling it to US distributors at deeply discounted prices.

According to court documents, the alleged scheme operated from at least July 2023 through April 2024. The counterfeit products allegedly included fake packaging, package inserts, pen labels, and needles designed to make them appear to be genuine Ozempic authorized by the manufacturer.

The operation continued even after the US Food and Drug Administration seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public warning about the products.

Roy was arrested in Italy on an Interpol Red Notice and later extradited to the US. He made his initial appearance in federal court in Tampa on September 29.

Roy and Ramancha each face six federal charges: one count of conspiracy to commit smuggling and to defraud the United States, three counts of smuggling, and two counts of selling counterfeit drugs and holding counterfeit drugs for sale.

If convicted on all six charges, each could face a maximum combined penalty of 71 years in prison.