Feds Charge Doctor with Giving NFL Player HGH
Updated at 1:38 p.m. ET
U.S. authorities have charged a Canadian doctor with unlawfully treating professional football players with unapproved drugs, including human growth hormone.
Dr. Anthony Galea, of Toronto, is named in a federal criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Buffalo.
The complaint charges the doctor with conspiring to lie to federal officials, smuggling, unlawful distribution of HGH, introducing the unapproved drug actovegin into interstate commerce and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
The criminal complaint says U.S. border officials spoke to Galea in early 2009 and told him he could not bring certain medical supplies into the United States, CBS News affiliate WIVB-TV in Buffalo reports. Authorities allege in the complaint that Galea then used someone else to transport the growth hormone across the border. Galea instructed the transporter to tell border inspection officers that the substances were medical supplies to be displayed at a medical conference in Washington, the complaint alleges.
According to court documents, Galea's clients include at least three National Football League players. One allegedly had two HGH kits delivered to his home while another received actovegin injections.
Galea also treated major league baseball players and pro golfers, but the charges pertain to the NFL players. No athletes were named.
Galea's lawyer was in court and not immediately available to comment.
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