Gabriel Letizia Jr., the owner and executive director of AMA Laboratories, Inc. (“AMA”), a consumer product testing company based in Rockland County, New York, has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison (5 years) for fraud scheme involving fabricated test results.
“For three decades, Gabriel Letizia defrauded AMA’s customers and jeopardized the safety of millions of consumers, all in the name of greed,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.
Letizia began operating AMA in the early 1980s,.
Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy says sunscreens should be regulated. (File photo) On Tuesday, Gabriel Letizia Jr, the owner and executive director of AMA Laboratories, a consumer products testing company in New City, pleaded guilty on May 7 to defrauding customers by reporting laboratory test results for panellist testing that was not fully performed. Four former AMA employees have previously pleaded guilty in connection with the fraud. Duffy said a number of New Zealand-based manufacturers had used AMA Laboratories to justify SPF claims. “For many years, manufacturers sent us test reports from AMA Laboratories when our tests found their sunscreens weren’t up to standard. Manufacturers continued to rely on AMA Laboratories’ results despite our tests showing products failed to meet their label claims,” Duffy said.
The owner of a US lab that tested sunscreen products sold in New Zealand has pleaded guilty to falsifying results.
Consumer NZ says test reports from the US company have been used by manufacturers to justify the SPF claims for sunscreens sold to New Zealand consumers (File image).
Photo: 123RF
Consumer NZ is urging manufacturers relying on reports from the company to urgently retest their products.
New York-based AMA Laboratories owner Gabriel Letizia Jr admitted defrauding customers and causing sunscreens to be marketed on the basis of false reports.
Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said test reports from the US company had been used by manufacturers to justify the SPF claims for sunscreens sold to New Zealand consumers.
The owner of a US lab that tested sunscreen products sold in New Zealand has pleaded guilty to falsifying results. Last week, the owner of New York-based AMA Laboratories admitted defrauding customers and causing sunscreens to be marketed on the basis .
Source: Consumer NZ
The owner of a US lab that tested sunscreen products sold in New Zealand has pleaded guilty to falsifying results.
Last week, the owner of New York-based AMA Laboratories admitted defrauding customers and causing sunscreens to be marketed on the basis of false lab reports.
Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said test reports from AMA Laboratories had been used by many manufacturers to justify the SPF claims for sunscreens sold to Kiwi consumers.
âFor many years, manufacturers sent us test reports from AMA Labs when our tests found their sunscreens werenât up to standard. Manufacturers continued to rely on AMA Labsâ results despite our tests showing products failed to meet their label claims.