Co-founders of supplement company Blackstone Labs, Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun may face a 13 year prison sentence.
Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun, co-founders of Blackstone Labs LLC, have reportedly pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell illegal anabolic steroids and other unlawful controlled substances marketed as dietary supplements. Once sentenced, Singerman and Braun may face up to 13 years in prison.
The information comes to us directly from a press release published by the United States Department of Justice. Further reports have indicated that Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun have pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Singerman and Braun pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute substances and to selling unapproved new drugs. Blackstone Labs LLC has also pleaded guilty to these same charge as well as one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and to committing mail and wire fraud.
In more direct terms, this report is indicating that in pleading guilty, Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun have admitted to misleading customers through Blackstone Labs by marketing and selling controlled substances that were not approved by the FDA as dietary supplements. Blackstone Labs has also made these admissions while also pleading guilty to additional charges as mentioned above.
Not only were the substances marketed and sold as dietary supplements. According to the DOJ report, the substances were falsely represented as made in “FDA approved” facilities when that was not the case. FDA approved facilities are regulated to standards set by the FDA. Controlled substances, of course, would not be produced from such facilities.
The news of this plea deal comes long after first reports were revealed about the federal charges made against Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun. Reported in March of 2019, this case seemed to fade from public view until now with this reported plea deal. Singerman’s current supplement company, RedCon1, is one of the biggest supplement brands in the bodybuilding industry today. Most notably, Aaron Singerman pulled out RedCon1 from sponsoring the Arnold Classic 2021 earlier this year due to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comments about American citizens’ freedom.
The original federal indictments were based on a raid of Blackstone Labs LLC after a warrant was issued in 2017. Authorities searched the premises of Blackstone Labs and the companies manufacturing partner Ventech Labs. Based on evidence found during the raid, the DOJ announced a 14 count grand jury indictment against Singerman, Braun, and Blackstone Labs LLC.
Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun’s past statements on the Blackstone Labs LLC raid
Generation Iron has been following the story and interviewed PJ Braun multiple times. Generation Iron produced an original series on the life of the bodybuilding business entrepreneur. In one episode of the series, Braun detailed the experience of being raided by the federal government in 2017. You can watch that episode below:
Aaron Singerman has also spoken with Generation Iron in previous GI Exclusive interviews. In one segment, he details his past relationship with PJ Braun and explains their fall out after the Blackstone Labs LLC raid in 2017. You can also watch that video below right here:
Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun sentencing and forfeiture
As part of the plea deal, all three defendants have agreed to forfeit proceed for the above mentioned crimes. Aaron Singerman has agreed to forfeit $2.9 million. PJ Braun has agreed to forfeit $3 million as well as an additional $233,000 of certified funds under a warrant from a bank account under Blackstone Labs. Blackstone Labs LLC has agreed to forfeit $1 million. In addition to this, both Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun could face up a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison.
Aaron Singerman’s current supplement company, RedCon1 has attempted to distance itself from the allegations and the newly announced plea agreement. The company claimed in an email statement:
“Redcon1 was founded after the conduct central to the Blackstone case concluded, and we had no involvement in the matters raised in that case.”
Speaking with Generation Iron, Blackstone Labs majority owner Jared Wheat commented:
“Blackstone Labs is doing great and it has been under new ownership since 2017. All products are 100% compliant to the law. We are doing great as a company and will continue to do great moving forward.”
Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2022, in Ft. Lauderdale before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas of the Southern District of Florida. Judge Dimitrouleas will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available. We will also follow up on the results of the sentencing after the January 27, 2022 scheduled court date.
