Lowcountry brothers plead guilty for selling millions worth of counterfeit Viagra
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Two Summerville men plead guilty in federal court for selling $35 million in counterfeit Viagra on Wednesday.
Brothers Ibrahim Shedid, 29, and Ahmed Shedid, 35, face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, $250,000 in restitution, and three years of court-ordered supervision.
Ibrahim owned and operated Big Boss Puff Stuff, and Ahmed owned and operated A2Z Warehouse. The duo would use their stores to sell and traffic counterfeit Viagra to convenience stores, the US Department of Justice said.
Authorities intercepted a shipment containing 19 bottles of counterfeit medicine in January headed for Big Boss Puff Stuff. Upon further investigation, law enforcement found more counterfeit Viagra in a storage unit belonging to both brothers, according to the department.
In all, authorities seized over $35 million of fake goods. U.S. District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks will sentence the men.
“Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case,” the DOJ explained.