A thoroughbred racehorse trainer recently pleaded guilty for the distribution of adulterated and misbranded drugs for administration on racehorses he trained.
According to a Dec. 9 U.S. Department of Justice news release, Jason Servis' charges are in connection with his part in the federal case United States v. Navarro et al., in which Servis is one of 27 defendants alleged to have participated in horse doping rings. His sentencing is scheduled for May 18, 2023.
"Servis' conduct represents corruption at the highest levels of the racehorse industry," U.S. Attorney for New York's Southern District Damian Williams said. "As a licensed racehorse trainer, Servis was bound to protect the horses under his care and to comply with racing rules designed to ensure the safety and well-being of horses and protect the integrity of the sport."
Allegations in a superseding indictment and other documents in the case charged Service for his part in widespread schemes, that included racehorse trainers, veterinarians, distributors of performance-enhancing drugs and others to produce, distribute and receive adulterated and misbranded drugs and to smuggle them into the country, the release reported. Scheme participants allegedly sought to increase race performance, leading to higher prize money from racetracks throughout the world, including including in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Kentucky and Saudi Arabia.
"Servis abdicated his responsibilities to the animals, to regulators, and to the public," Williams said in the release. "This latest conviction demonstrates the commitment of this office and of our partners at the FBI to the prosecution and investigation of corruption, fraud, deceit and endangerment in the racehorse industry."
The winnings came at the "detriment and risk of the health and well-being of the racehorses," the news release said. "Trainers, like Servis, who participated in the schemes stood to profit from the success of racehorses under their control by earning a share of their horses' winnings and by improving their horses' racing records, thereby yielding higher trainer fees and increasing the number of racehorses under their control."
