A part-time actor was sentenced Monday to more than eight years in federal prison for soliciting investors for a company that prosecutors say sold fake treatments and cures for COVID-19. .
Keith Lawrence Middlebrook, 57, was found guilty in May of 11 counts of wire fraud. Ahead of Monday morning’s sentencing, Middlebrook told the Times he was “totally innocent” and “this will be appealed.”
Middlebrook made similar comments to a judge during a hearing in federal court in Los Angeles, saying he had consulted with seven lawyers and eight doctors “from the beginning on a product of this scale.” .
“It is clear that Mr. Middlebrook still denies having committed the crime, and there are concerns that he will continue to commit similar crimes in the future,” U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fisher said before handing down the sentence. “There are serious concerns.”
The main issue at the sentencing hearing centered on Middlebrook’s alleged relationship with former Lakers point guard Magic Johnson.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Middlebrook had argued that Johnson was a director and officer of his company.
Johnson, who was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, testified at trial that he has never supported, invested in, or served as an officer or board member of Middlebrook’s company, according to a government memo. did. He also testified that he did not know Middlebrook and had no commitment to work with him.
Prosecutors told the judge in a memo that Middlebrook lied when he testified on the stand that he met with Johnson more than 100 times and had extensive conversations about “bogus treatments and preventatives.” He asked the judge to increase the sentence.
Fisher agreed, saying, “That’s unthinkable.” [Johnson] He would have forgotten that Mr. Middlebrook approached him about investing in vaccines. ”
The judge also denied the defense’s motion for acquittal and a new trial.
“Magic Johnson is the biggest liar I’ve ever seen, and we’re going to prove it,” Middlebrook’s attorney, Andrew Stein, said after the hearing. “I think Magic lied under oath to protect himself from getting involved in this.”
During the hearing, a U.S. aide said: Kenneth R. Carbajal said Johnson “gave truthful and reliable testimony.”
Magic Johnson Enterprises did not respond to a request for comment.
Prosecutors say that early in the pandemic, Middlebrook, whose IMDb list includes bit roles in films such as “Iron Man 2,” personally sold “patent-pending” treatments and treatments to prevent the coronavirus. He claimed to have developed it. infection.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, the FBI arrested Middlebrook in March 2020 for allegedly delivering pills purporting to be anti-infection drugs to undercover agents posing as investors.
Stein, who was hired after the trial, said a doctor at Stanford University testified that Middlebrook’s drug combination worked.
“I don’t know how the jury convicted him,” Stein said. “We’re going to go out there and prove Magic Johnson a liar.”
Mr. Middlebrook was free on $150,000 bail but was remanded into custody shortly after a judge sentenced him to prison and three years of supervised release.
Fisher also fined Middlebrook $25,000.
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