Jamie George made almost £1M selling dangerous fat-burning pills. He operated out of his shed and endangered lives.
In July 2023, George, now 33, went to jail, receiving a three-year sentence for his illegal business. He sold dinitrophenol capsules globally.
Dinitrophenol is a very toxic chemical used for explosives and photography, but bodybuilders use it for weight loss. Simona Gersheva stated that the illegal profit was £937,635, with only £31,050 available for seizure.
Sheriff Hamilton seized the £31,050. After George left prison, reporters questioned him about why he repaid so little. He shrugged and walked away. DNP puts users at high risk, potentially causing organ failure and cardiac arrest.
In 2018, officials raided George’s home. The shed was contaminated with yellow powder, and they found equipment and £1500 in cash, as well as delivery slips. George sent items to Asia and the USA, posting from Laurieston Post Office and selling to local gym fans.
Ignoring warnings, he advertised online. Police arrested him later, as he knew DNP was a dangerous poison and was aware of the risks it caused.
His gym made £235,000 annually, with supplements making up a large part of it. It is unclear how much of that was from DNP, though one analysis showed £50,000 in suspicious money, the DNP portion of which is also unclear.
George pleaded guilty to endangering lives by selling pills between 2017 and 2021. He sold from homes in Falkirk, and the probe involved several agencies, including undercover police who investigated in 2021.
Sheriff Hamilton gave him 37 months. George knew the pills could be fatal, yet he continued despite the dangers, putting people’s lives at risk. At least 33 people in the UK died doing this; two lived in Scotland.