> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.fdaweb.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# OCI Case Nets 2 on HIV, Covid Drug Convictions
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/oci-case-nets-2-on-hiv-covid-drug-convictions/
- Published: 2024-12-10T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T14:49:03.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5158332

A securities fraud case investigated by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations has resulted in the conviction of two men for their roles in a scheme to lie to investors in CytoDyn, a firm purportedly developing leronlimab between 2018 and 2021 to treat HIV and Covid-19\. A Justice Department [statement](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-jury-maryland-convicted-two-men-yesterday-their-roles-scheme-lie-investors-cytodyn?ref=fdaweb.com) says **Nader Pourhassan** of Lake Oswego, OR, and **Kazem Kazempour** of Potomac, MD, engaged in a scheme to deceive investors about the development of the drug to artificially inflate and maintain the price of CytoDyn stock and to attract new investors. Pourhassan was the CytoDyn CEO, the statement says, while Kazempour was the CEO of Amarex Clinical Research, the contract research organization that was hired to conduct the drug’s clinical trials and be the CytoDyn representative with FDA.

The department says the two made false and misleading statements about the timeline and status of CytoDyn’s regulatory submissions to FDA and then sold CytoDyn stock.

“These convictions demonstrate that those who make misleading statements about clinical trial results to the public, including to healthcare providers and patients, will be held accountable for their actions,” said **Robert** I**wanicki**, FDA Office of Criminal InInvestigations special agent in charge of the Los Angeles field office.

Pourhassan was convicted on four counts of securities fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of insider trading. Kazempour was convicted on one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud related to the submission of an application to FDA and an attempt to trade CytoDyn shares the following day, the statement says. The two face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of securities fraud, wire fraud, and insider trading.