Show-Me State Times

St. Louis – U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced Maximillian Gregory Verbowski, a 29-year-old man from Seattle, to 30 months in prison and a $10,000 fine for purchasing 630,000 counterfeit Xanax and other pills on the dark web. Verbowski will also be on supervised release for three years following his prison term.

According to the case details, from October 2019 to August 30, 2021, Verbowski used cryptocurrency and cash to acquire large quantities of counterfeit generic alprazolam and other prescription pills on the dark web for resale. The pills were sourced from China, where drug ingredients were obtained and then pressed and stamped to replicate the markings of authentic manufacturers. The counterfeit pills were then shipped to post office boxes opened by Verbowski under aliases.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case, leading to Verbowski's guilty plea in June on charges of conspiracy to sell counterfeit drugs, selling counterfeit drugs, and using a fictitious name on mail to commit a crime.

In a statement, the Drug Enforcement Administration noted, "Courtesy of the Drug Enforcement Administration."

The sentencing of Verbowski serves as a reminder of the legal consequences individuals face for engaging in illegal activities on the dark web, especially in the realm of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.