legally-get-steroidsWhat is the most effective way of advertising? Television, radio and newspaper ads? Wrong. It’s through word of mouth. This is how over 200 customers ended up getting illegal prescriptions and buying performance enhancing drugs from a local pharmacy in Staten Island. A bodybuilder told another bodybuilder who told his gym buddy. About who? Dr. Richard Lucente, the 37-year old doctor who would prescribe them with steroids and human growth hormones even when they don’t have any medical indications for the use of these drugs. Dr. Lucente runs a family clinic as well as a health clinic named “New York Anti-Aging and Wellness Center“.

From The New York Times:

Prosecutors said that Dr. Lucente, who also had a separate family practice on Staten Island, steered his clients to a Brooklyn pharmacy, Lowen’s, on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge, to get their prescriptions filled. From 2005 to 2007, Dr. Lucente received nearly $30,000 in kickbacks from the pharmacy, the indictment said. The pharmacy’s owner, John Rossi, committed suicide last year while the investigation into the steroids ring unfolded.

Dr. Lucente pleaded not guilty at a brief arraignment on Tuesday afternoon and was released on $20,000 bail. His lawyer, John Meringolo, called the charges “trumped up” and said his client would be vindicated at trial.

Apparently, one of Dr. Lucente’s patients, Joe Baglio, a bodybuilder who had a heart transplant, died 2 years ago from taking the steroids that the doctor had prescribed him with. The portrait of Mr. Baglio stood while charges against Dr. Lucente were announced during a news conference. The pharmacy, Lowen’s, where most of the clients bought their steroids was also charged but had pleaded not guilty. Several police officers that were found to use steroids had already been linked to this pharmacy and some had already been punished.


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