Enzyte customers can claim funds

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CINCINNATI, May 9 (UPI) -- Purchasers of the purported sexual-enhancement supplement Enzyte are eligible for compensation, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Victims have until July 9 to claim funds from a pool of $24 million that executives of Cincinnati-based Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals Inc. turned over in a government settlement, the Justice Department said Tuesday.

Enzyte was sold in the early 2000s in national television commercials that featured spokesman "Smilin' Bob". Dissatisfied customers were offered double and triple their money back, and investigators said victims lost between $100 million and $400 million when the company did not issue refunds, lied about the products' capabilities in advertising and made unauthorized charges on customer credit cards, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Former Berkeley president and owner Steven E. Warshak was convicted on 93 counts of bank and mail fraud and money laundering in 2008.

Ten other executives were also convicted and forfeited bank accounts and proceeds from the sale of houses and property.

The Justice Department said it has approved payments to 138,426 people thus far.

Customers who purchased Enzyte between August 2001 and April 2005, the female supplement Avlimil between January 2003 and July 2004, or had unauthorized credit card charges from Berkeley prior to Aug. 16, 2004, are eligible for compensation. They can make a claim by calling 1-855-886-6887.