GRAVESEND, NY – In a devastating blow to the illicit racehorse doping industry, former pharmacist Scott Mangini has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in distributing adulterated and misbranded performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to the high-stakes world of horse racing.
As first reported by Grimy Times, Mangini, 44, was found guilty of selling millions of dollars’ worth of illicit PEDs through his direct-to-consumer websites, horseprerace.com and racehorsemeds.com, between 2011 and 2020. The defendant’s operation was designed to cater to racehorse trainers and owners looking to boost their horses’ performance and win big.
‘Scott Mangini used his skills as a pharmacist to create and supply a market for adulterated and unregulated performance-enhancing drugs that endangered racehorses,’ said Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. ‘Mangini designed and peddled dozens of products intended for use by those engaged in fraud and animal abuse.’
According to court documents, Mangini’s products were manufactured in unsanitary facilities hidden behind shell companies, straw owners, and fake prescription records. The defendant’s operation was repeatedly shut down by state and federal regulators, but he continued to peddle his illicit PEDs, putting the lives of countless horses at risk.
The investigation into Mangini’s operation revealed that the defendant and his co-conspirators manufactured and sold a range of illicit PEDs, including ‘blood builders’ and customized analgesics. These substances were marketed as ‘safe’ and ‘undetectable’ by racing officials, with one product, ‘Numb It Injection,’ advertised as a ‘proprietary formula’ that ‘WILL NOT TEST.’
However, the true extent of the danger posed by Mangini’s operation was highlighted in a 2016 complaint from a customer whose horse was severely affected by the defendant’s unregulated drugs. ‘Starting bout 8 hours after I give the injection and for about 36 hours after,’ the customer wrote, ‘the horse is very lethargic and has a very hard time even getting up from a lying down position. I have never seen the horse act this way before.’
Mangini’s sentencing marks a significant victory for law enforcement and animal welfare advocates, who have long fought against the scourge of racetrack doping. The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of prioritizing profits over animal welfare and the rule of law.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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