CAMDEN, N.J. (1010 WINS) – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to selling $2.7 million in pesticides claiming that it would kill coronavirus and lying that it was registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice announced on Thursday.
Paul Andrecola, 63, of Maple Shade confessed to selling unregistered pesticide in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), wire fraud, and of presenting false claims to the United States.
“Andrecola not only cheated dozens of people out of millions of dollars but also endangered the health of those who relied on his fraudulent virucidal products,” Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, said. “The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting such crimes to the fullest extent possible.”
FIFRA regulates the sales, distribution, and use of pesticides to ensure that the sales are sade, effective, and bear labeling true and accurate information. The EPA is responsible for regulating the manufacturing and labeling of all pesticide shipments.
During the beginning of the global pandemic, the EPA created a special list of EPA-registered products that it saw to be effective against COVID.
Andrecola, under the brand GCLEAN, manufactured multiple disinfectant products, including liquids and wipe. GCLEAN was not registered with FIFRA and none of the products were listed on EPA’s list for effective disinfection...
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