MUCH MORE ON STEROID USE
  • 11/16/2007 (12:44:35 am)
  • Georgiann Makropoulos

…..

Anthony Forgione has been linked to providing steroids to the late Chris Benoit as well as working with Signature Pharmacy. 10 WWE wrestlers were suspended for buying drugs from Signature Pharmacy.

Former cop tied to Albany steroids probe arrested in Fla.

Anthony Forgione had a loaded handgun, fake ID when picked up by state Health Dept. investigators
 
By BRENDAN J. LYONS , Senior writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
Last updated: 1:05 a.m., Thursday, November 15, 2007
 
A former Suffolk County police officer whose Florida wellness clinic has been accused of supplying illicit steroids and other drugs to professional athletes was arrested in South Florida Wednesday on a felony complaint tied to an Albany-based steroids investigation.

 
Anthony Forgione, 43, had a loaded handgun, a forged NYPD retirement badge and suspected evidence of widespread drug distribution when police and New York state Health Department investigators raided his Delray Beach office Wednesday afternoon, according to a law enforcement source in Florida.

Forgione is scheduled to be arraigned in Albany County later this week pending his extradition from Palm Beach County. Forgione also is a former Boca Raton police officer who was fired in April 2003 for allegedly using anabolic steroids, according to Florida State Department records and a story published in the Palm Beach Post that year.

Dr. Gary Brandwein, a Florida physician who is currently free on bond under a felony indictment for drug-related charges in Albany County, was briefly handcuffed during Wednesday's raid when he was found at Forgione's office by law enforcement officers, authorities said.

Brandwein was released and not arrested.

Forgione's clinic, Infinity Longevity, emerged as a target in the sprawling investigation two years ago as law enforcement agents in Orlando and Albany began building a case around Signature Pharmacy in Orlando. The Central Florida pharmacy was raided in February. It's been described by authorities as the central target in an ongoing investigation involving a maze of pharmacies, doctors, pharmacists and wellness center operators accused of exploiting laws to sell steroids and other drugs to patients without medical need.

Signature's owners, Robert ``Stan'' and Naomi, Loomis, who are husband-and-wife pharmacists, have pleaded not guilty to felony indictments in Albany.

Infinity Longevity allegedly once supplied drugs to Christopher Benoit, a pro wrestler who hanged himself after strangling his wife and suffocating his 7-year-old son in their Georgia home, according to law enforcement sources.

The prescriptions were filled by Signature Pharmacy, Albany prosecutors confirmed earlier. The clinic also is suspected of supplying drugs to other athletes, including Major League Baseball players, according to sources in the case.

Sealed wiretaps that were conducted by Florida law enforcement, and reviewed by the Times Union, indicate Infinity Longevity may have routinely steered business to Signature pharmacy.

The wiretaps showed at least one instance last year in which law enforcement officials were listening in on Signature's telephone calls when there was an exchange involving Infinity Longevity.

A transcript of that call recounted a man calling Signature pharmacy and saying he was ready to make a purchase after finding their Web site on the Internet. Tony Palladino, a corporate account manager at Signature, fielded the call and explained to the man that they only filled prescriptions. He advised the caller to contact Infinity Longevity.

``Just ask for Anthony,'' Palladino told the caller. ``He's the only one there. They'll tell you everything you need to do.''

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The December issue of Maxim magazine will have a feature on the Chris Benoit tragedy.

 
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Barry Bonds was just indicted four counts of perjury and obstruction of justice, lying to the jury about his steroid use.  He could face jail time. 
 
I'm sure these ramifications will filter down to professional wrestling.
It will be interesting to see what the near future holds for the upcoming congressional hearings on wrestling.
 
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Chris Jericho was once again on the ‘Up Front’ segment of TSN’s Off the Record with Michael Landsberg. I missed watching it on TV, but here is my transcript from viewings it, which is also available on the TSN website at http://broadband.tsn.ca/tsn/?id=4063.

This one is way more interesting that yesterdays from a wrestling standpoint, as Jericho talks about his personal use of steroids, how he doesn't feel there needs to be a union, and he claims that Vince will let wrestlers take time off the road without question if they are burnt out.

Adam Lebow
 http://www.thershl.com  
Transcript on Page 2 - - - - - - - - >
 
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REMINDER  -  I have a super special on eBay with Razor Ramon figures special
 

 

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