North Texas cat owners among those defrauded in multimillion-dollar scheme involving smuggled drugs

Yahoo

30-01-2025

DALLAS - A Texas woman received probation and had to give up more than $4 million in cash and property connected to a scam targeting cat owners.
The woman, who is not a licensed vet, misdiagnosed sick cats and prescribed unauthorized medicine.
Nicole Randall seized the opportunity to help the sick cats but also help her own pocketbook, too.
According to court documents, between February 2020 and May 2022, Randall used fake names to smuggle unapproved cat medication into the U.S. disguised as facial masks, pet shampoo, beauty products and cosmetics.
Local perspective
When Benrbook-native Nat Burton's cat was diagnosed with a fatal disease called feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), there was no treatment.
"We kept him comfortable until he couldn't go anymore," she said. "After that, I said, 'I'm not going to let this happen again. I'm going to do everything I can.'"
And when her seven-week-old kitten tested positive for the disease, Burton stayed true to her word.
Veterinarians, at the time, couldn't prescribe the life-saving medication. So people like Burton had to turn online.
That's how she found the FIP Warriors Facebook group run by a woman named Nicole Randall from Cedar Park, Texas, just north of Austin.
Burton shared all the information about her kitten brisket's diagnosis, ordered the medication and paid Randall through Zelle.
"I never had a problem getting the meds and [my cat] improved in like three days," she recalled.
Unbeknownst to her, the FDA was onto Randall and started an undercover investigation. They discovered she was smuggling the medication from China and charging enormous prices to customers, making millions of dollars.
Libby Cooley, from Dallas, also purchased medication through Randall.
"I actually remember years ago, kind of my reaction was a little bit of shock because we had become aware that she was spending, kind of flamboyantly spending money," she recalled.
In one year, Cooley spent around $10,000.
"It kind of makes you think, 'If she has this much money, how much did that medication actually cost?' Right?"
Randall pleaded guilty to a federal charge of introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce.
Randall's scheme was highly profitable.
As part of the plea agreement, Randall agreed to forfeit four real properties, ten financial accounts, and a Tesla, worth roughly $4 million combined and traceable to her proceeds from smuggling and distributing the unapproved drugs.
"It really just makes me indescribably angry," said Burton.
Big picture view
These days, licensed veterinarians can prescribe the drugs, and pharmacies can make it.
Cooley now works for Las Colinas Compound and Wellness Pharmacy. They are able to get the medication into the hands of pet owners in less than 24 hours.
"It's important for veterinarians to understand the disease, to learn about it now that they're able to treat it and to be able to write prescriptions and care for their patients the way that they want to," advised Cooley.
What's next
Randall was sentenced to one year probation.
Burton said she is using a prescription medication to treat one of her cats, and it is working.
Cooley says the Las Colinas pharmacy hopes to work with pharmacies across the country to get the formulas in their hands and the drug available in all 50 states.
The Source
Information in this article comes from U.S. District of Oregon court documents, criminal complaints and interviews with North Texas cat owners targeted in the scheme.