Juiced: Miami Clinics Pumped Steroids to Kids

MIAMI, FL – The dark underbelly of competitive athletics was exposed today as federal prosecutors announced charges against four men accused of fueling a steroid distribution ring targeting vulnerable young athletes. Yuri Sucart, 52, of Miami, Juan Carlos Nuñez, 48, of Fort Lauderdale, Lazaro Daniel Collazo, a/k/a “Lazer,” “Laser,” 50, of Hialeah, and Paulo Berejuk, a/k/a “Pablo Berejuk,” “Paolo Berejuk,” 50, of Cutler Bay, are facing serious federal charges related to the illegal distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.

The indictment alleges a conspiracy to distribute testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH) to both high school students and professional athletes. This isn’t a new case. Back in August 2014, seven individuals, including Sucart, Nuñez, and Collazo, were initially charged. Four others – Anthony Publio Bosch, Carlos Javier Acevedo, Jorge Augustine Velazquez, and Christopher Benjamin Engroba – have already pleaded guilty and await sentencing, painting a picture of a well-established operation.

The DEA investigation uncovered a network of so-called “anti-aging” clinics operating in Miami-Dade County. These clinics – including Biogenesis of America, LLC; Biokem, LLC; and Revive Miami, LLC – served as fronts for the illegal distribution of testosterone, fueled by recruiters and a black market supply chain. The group operated between 2008 and 2012, with Anthony Bosch identified as one of the original founders.

The superseding indictment details the specific charges. Sucart, Collazo, Nuñez, and Berejuk are all accused of one count of conspiracy to distribute testosterone (a Schedule III controlled substance, under Title 21, United States Code, Section 846) and one count of conspiracy to distribute human growth hormone (violating Title 21, United States Code, Sections 333(e)(1) and (e)(2)). Sucart faces an additional five counts of distributing testosterone (violating Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2), while Collazo is charged with one count of distributing human growth hormone.

“This case exposes the dangerous lengths to which some will go to gain an unfair advantage,” stated Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison per count. A.D. Wright, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, was thanked for his agency’s work on the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Michal P. Sullivan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharad A. Motiani are prosecuting the case.

It’s crucial to remember that an indictment is merely an accusation. Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Further information can be found on the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida website at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls, and court documents are available at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.