Mary and Fred Blakley of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges involving mail and wire fraud, as well as conspiracy to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The plea was entered before United States District Judge Gerald A. McHugh in Philadelphia.
The couple operated a medical clinic business that offered “full body scans” for about $300, usually paid in cash. These scans were performed using ultrasound machines allegedly equipped with “smart chip technology” invented by Mary Blakley. According to prosecutors, the defendants claimed these scans could diagnose, treat, and cure a range of diseases including cancer. Mary Blakley also claimed she could activate the smart chip or use a laser on her machine to detect or treat illnesses.
Their associate Janmarie Lanzo also pleaded guilty earlier this month to conspiracy related charges. Lanzo worked at the clinics and sold products recommended by Mary Blakley based on scan results.
Authorities said that clients were prescribed supplements, creams such as Aetheion—marketed by the defendants as capable of treating cancer—and veterinary drugs like fenbendazole for human use. Fenbendazole is only approved for animals and carries warnings against its use in humans. They also promoted ProArgi9+, a vitamin supplement purportedly for cardiovascular disease prevention.
The prosecution stated that the Blakleys made false claims about Mary’s credentials, asserting she had earned a Ph.D. from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet despite never having attended or traveled outside the United States.
Investigators seized over 30 firearms and 30,000 rounds of ammunition from Fred Blakley’s garage; he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon due to prior convictions related to methamphetamine manufacturing.
To hide their activities, authorities said the defendants avoided recordkeeping, used coded language instead of medical terms like “diagnose,” and required clients to sign membership or confidentiality agreements under the guise of being part of a private or religious organization.
Sentencing is scheduled for April for Mary and Fred Blakley; they face up to 25 years and 40 years in prison respectively. Lanzo will be sentenced in March with a maximum possible term of five years.
“This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations,” according to U.S. Attorney David Metcalf’s office. “It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and Paul G. Shapiro and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Bowerman.”
