A four year sentence for selling counterfeit pharmaceuticals?  The pharmaceuticals were worth $400,000, so the sentence is more draconian than many for counterfeiting. However, there are extenuating circumstances.

Outsourcing-Pharma.Com (http://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/news/ng.asp?n=86605-viagra-pfizer-counterfeit) reports that Ivad Dogmosh sold fake Viagra, but "[t]he antibiotic metronidazole was detected in the pills, which has side effects including seizures, fever and bloody diarrhea. In addition metronidazole interacts with alcohol, which can result in nausea, flushing or headaches." Viagra is the most often counterfeited pharmaceutical on the planet, which is saying a lot--fake pharma is reasonably estimated as a $75 billion/year industry.

However, this story may have an ironic twist (I'm speculating here, but hear me out). Based on the severity of the sentence, it is likely that Ivad was penalized more harshly because of the metronidazole. I can picture him at the trial, declaring "But, Mrs. Judge, I swear I never intended to put metronidazole in the pills. I meant for them to be sugar tablets". Which implies that Ivad was not in control of his supply chain. He may have gone too far in his outsourcing, and scored the dye, expedient or other ingredient from (gasp!) a disreputable sort. Imagine that, Ivad was both the perpetrator and victim of counterfeiting.

What kind of a world do we live in when a counterfeiter can't even trust his supply chain!?

-Steve