Timothy J. Racicot Acting United States Attorney for the District of Montana | Wikipedia
A Tennessee man has been sentenced to five years of probation for selling unapproved drugs, as announced by U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. Tyler Jordan Hall, 31, from Greenville, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to the charge of introducing unapproved drugs into interstate commerce.
The sentencing was overseen by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. "Tyler Hall manufactured unapproved drugs in an unregulated lab using ingredients he bought from China," stated U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. He emphasized that such behavior, which poses potential health risks to consumers due to false claims of FDA approval, is intolerable.
Robert Iwanicki, Special Agent in Charge at the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office, commented on the case: “Illegally manufacturing and selling unapproved drugs outside the legitimate U.S. supply chain can present serious health risks.” He added that misleading both customers and the FDA reflects a reckless disregard for regulations and consumer safety.
Court documents revealed that between June 2020 and March 2022, Hall operated Rat’s Army, LLC. The business imported and labeled drugs marketed to bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts for muscle gain and fat loss. Many substances were unsafe for human consumption without medical supervision, with some resembling FDA-approved drugs requiring special warnings due to serious side effects like pulmonary embolism.
During this period, Hall's operations yielded approximately $3.8 million in proceeds from sales including Raloxifene, Tamoxifen, and Pramipexole—unapproved drugs sold under false pretenses as research chemicals not intended for human use.
Hall allegedly misled regulatory agencies by falsely marketing his products on Rat’s Army's website as safe research chemicals while knowing they were consumed by humans to alter body structure or function. He also reportedly deceived consumers with misleading Certificates of Analysis claiming legitimacy and safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke prosecuted the case following an investigation by the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigation.
