Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to False Product Contamination Scam

Cedar Rapids resident Luke A. Truesdell, 40, has admitted to spreading a virulent lie about consumer product contamination, leading to federal charges and a potential ten-year sentence.

Truesdell, accused of fabricating a tale that he had bled into batches of an FDA-regulated product at his former employer’s plant, pleaded guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids. The false claim, made both to the FDA and on Facebook, caused widespread panic among consumers.

The scheme began after Truesdell was fired from his job in Linn County, Iowa. On January 26, 2012, he called the FDA and falsely claimed to be a Hepatitis B carrier. He then alleged that he had contaminated the product, causing an immediate recall that impacted the entire company and its customers.

Truesdell’s deceit didn’t stop at the phone call; on January 27, he used Facebook to further disseminate his lies. The social media platform served as a vehicle for his misinformation campaign, leading to heightened anxiety among consumers who feared for their safety.

The United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations spearheaded the investigation that led to Truesdell’s arrest. Assistant United States Attorney Peter Deegan will handle the prosecution of this case.

Truesdell remains in custody pending sentencing, which could include a $500,000 fine and six years of supervised release. His plea agreement acknowledges his guilt on one count of communicating false information and one count of making a false statement to the FDA.

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