2 indicted in connection with counterfeit Ozempic scheme in Florida

Two Indian nationals have been indicted on conspiracy and smuggling charges related to an international scheme to sell counterfeit Ozempic to U.S. distributors, according to court filings unsealed on Tuesday. 

Swapnadip Roy, 33, and Vicky Ramancha, 37, who are both residents of Dubai and Indian citizens, were indicted in the Middle District of Florida in 2025 for allegedly smuggling counterfeit Ozempic to distributors in the United States at discounted prices. 

Roy and Ramancha allegedly smuggled and sold thousands of counterfeit units of the popular weight-loss drug into the U.S. from unauthorized manufacturers in China, subverting the highly regulated wholesale distribution market in the U.S. that is overseen by the Food and Drug Administration. 

Roy made his initial appearance in federal court on Tuesday after being extradited from Italy to the U.S. Ramancha is still at large. 

Roy and Ramancha are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit smuggling and to defraud the U.S., three counts of smuggling, and two counts of selling counterfeit drugs and holding counterfeit drugs for sale. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 71 years in prison.

The scheme began in July 2023 and continued through April 2024, the Justice Department alleged in the indictment. According to court documents the counterfeit drugs had fake packaging, inserts, labels and needles, all meant to convince individual customers they were purchasing authorized Ozempic, which is manufactured by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. In December 2023, the FDA warned consumers that a counterfeit version of Ozempic had appeared in the U.S. supply chain. 

The counterfeit units were sold to distributors in the U.S. at discounted prices, and from there would be sold to consumers. The FDA has warned that hazardous counterfeits are on the rise and pose serious health risks. The FDA requires a prescription for GLP-1 drugs.  

According to the indictment, the pair allegedly encouraged companies to ignore compliance concerns, writing in one message that "if you want the product cheap, you have to understand that there are some corners being cut." Prosecutors also alleged that the pair threatened individuals involved in the distribution scheme.

In March 2024, Ramancha is alleged to have facilitated the delivery of approximately 11,000 units of the fake drug to a warehouse in Ohio. In other instances, thousands of doses were sold or distributed to companies in Florida. 

"Counterfeit prescription drugs — especially common ones — threaten the health and safety of every American who depends on the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply," Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said in a statement. "These defendants allegedly exploited people's health to pay themselves. We will keep pursuing anyone who seeks to deceive American consumers with counterfeit drugs."  

Lawyers for Roy declined to comment on Tuesday's proceedings and the charges against their client.