A Pennsylvania man has admitted to distributing anabolic steroids under the brand name Dynasty Labs.
George Sambuca, a former Philadelphia police officer who seemingly traded in his badge to become a steroid dealer, has admitted selling anabolic steroids manufactured by the underground laboratory Dynasty Labs. Court documents identified Sambuca as a distributor but not specifically as the manufacturer.
Specifically, Sambuca pleaded guilty to the “distribution of anabolic steroids” and to the “introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead” between September 2016 and June 2017. The plea agreement was announced by U.S. Attorney Robert Hur and FDA Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack on May 29, 2019.
Dynasty Labs was caught by an undercover cop on a steroid forum.
Sambuca was busted by an undercover law enforcement officer who registered on a bodybuilding internet forum “known for promoting unapproved and misbranded underground drug lab sales”. The undercover officer received an unsolicited private message (PM) from “Dynasty Labs” in September 2016.
The PM from Dynasty Labs offered forum members the opportunity to benefit from a “7 day super sale”. It promoted bodybuilding drugs such as Testosterone, Deca Durabolin, Sustanon, Viagra, and Dihydroboldenone”.
The undercover officer responded to the PM and ended up ordering anabolic steroids from Dynasty Labs (aka George Sambuca) on November 1, 2016. The officer sent “cash in mail” as payment and received his order on November 14, 2016. The order included 7 vials of “TEST Sustanon 350mg” and seven vials of “Deca Durabolin 400mg”.
The officer placed a second order on May 15, 2017. He sent $715 cash in mail (CIM) on May 22, 2017. Dynasty Labs shipped various powders for Dianabol, Stanozolol, Oxandrolone, Oxymetholone and Clomid as well as one 10-milliliter injectable vial of Sustanon 350 mg/ml.
Bodybuilders have long suspected that internet forums were infiltrated by undercover law enforcement officers. However, there has been little concrete evidence to suggest that most UGL busts are driven by internet-forum centered investigations. Most steroid UGLs come under scrutiny from law enforcement due to the interception of steroid powders by customs.
The George Sambuca case provides irrefutable evidence that there are law enforcement agents actively participating on bodybuilding- and steroid-related internet forums. The case also reveals how easy it is for law enforcement to shut down U.S. domestic UGLs in this manner.