Rong Sun, Selling Unregistered Pesticides, Georgia 2023

A Georgia woman who sold an unregistered pesticide on eBay, claiming it protected against COVID-19, has pleaded guilty to a federal offense. Rong Sun, 34, of Fayetteville, Georgia, pleaded guilty on Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins III.

Sun, also known as Vicky Sun, sold the unregistered pesticide, "Toamit Virus Shut Out," through eBay, claiming it would help protect individuals from viruses. The product took the form of a card-shaped device to be worn around the user’s neck, and the eBay listing depicted the removal of viruses by wearing the product.

The listing stated that the main ingredient was ClO2, a widely effective and powerful fungicide recognized internationally. It also claimed that the product could reduce the risks and probability of infection and transmission in extraordinary times.

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the production, sale, distribution, and use of pesticides in the United States. A pesticide is any substance intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest, including viruses. Pesticides must be registered with the EPA, and Toamit Virus Shut Out was not registered, making it illegal to distribute or sell.

Sun imported the pesticide from Japan and listed it for sale on eBay, stating that it would help protect individuals from viruses. The EPA, along with law enforcement partners, worked to stop the sale of the illegal product and protect the health of the community.

Sun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29 before Judge Larkins III. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance investigated the case.

The case highlights the importance of caution when purchasing products that make unsubstantiated claims of controlling viruses. The EPA provides a list of approved products on its website, epa.gov/coronavirus.

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