Lipitor Conspirator Sentenced to Federal Prison

By William Murphy

Published on September 08, 2006

Sentenced in a Kansas City, Missouri, federal court by District Judge Ortrie Smith, Santisteban was also ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution. Santisteban was convicted February 17 for participating with several others in a scheme to illegally import genuine Lipitor and other drugs intended for sale in South America. The drugs were subsequently packaged in misbranded containers and resold. The group also manufactured counterfeit Lipitor in Costa Rica and imported it for sale in the United States.

Santisteban was accused of using his printing company, Iggy Prints, along with several subcontractors to print counterfeit labels for bottles meant for the Lipitor and other drugs. He received more than $38,000 for the labels, money that he attempted to conceal by manipulating bank accounts. Iggy Prints went bankrupt in March 2003.

Santisteban, 11 co-conspirators, and three businesses connected to the pharmaceutical industry were indicted December 14, 2005, by a Kansas City federal grand jury on charges relating to the illegal importation and counterfeiting of Lipitor and other drugs.

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