Man Sentenced to 7 Years Over Unapproved Drug

Florida federal judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Barry Clint Wright (Monroe, NC) to seven years in federal prison for introducing unapproved and misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. Wright pleaded guilty to the charges 11/1/2019.

According to the government, Wright sold products containing 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) for weight loss. In 1938, FDA declared DNP to be extremely dangerous and not fit for human consumption. The unapproved drug is associated with a high rate of adverse effects including cataracts, hyperthermia, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmia, and death.

The court contends that Wright sold DNP to consumers throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries as a weight loss drug. “Three of these consumers died during or shortly after their DNP use,” it says.

The case was investigated by FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations.