Two brothers from India, Avanish Kumar Jha and Rajnish Kumar Jha, appeared in a Seattle court following their indictment on charges related to selling counterfeit and adulterated drugs in the United States. The Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced that the brothers were arrested in Singapore on April 20, 2023, at the request of the United States. They were extradited to face 28 felony charges after a Singaporean judge ruled in January 2025 that they could be surrendered.
The trial is scheduled for May 5, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.
"The defendants in this case allegedly made hundreds of thousands of dollars while defrauding people who were clinging to hope that a late-stage cancer medication could save their life," said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. "This fraud scheme didn’t just steal money; it stole the prospect of more time with loved ones for those battling cancer."
The investigation into the Jha brothers began in 2019 when authorities discovered internet postings suggesting they were selling prescription drugs through their company, Dhrishti Pharma International. Undercover agents from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) communicated with the brothers and purchased some products.
A key concern was a product labeled as “Keytruda,” which was found to be counterfeit and lacked the active ingredient present in Merck's authentic cancer drug. Other products contained contaminants.
The brothers allegedly shipped these counterfeit drugs from India using various payment methods, including wire transfers and direct exchanges, sometimes employing intermediaries within the United States to collect cash payments. Their packaging was designed to evade detection by customs or regulatory authorities.
"This case highlights ICE HSI’s commitment to protecting the public from dangerous and fraudulent practices that put vulnerable individuals at risk," stated Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of ICE HSI Seattle. "Thanks to the diligent work of our special agents and our law enforcement partners, we are taking swift action to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
The case was investigated by FDA’s OCI and ICE HSI. Assistant United States Attorney Philip Kopczynski is prosecuting the case with support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, law enforcement partners at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore, including ICE HSI Attaché, Diplomatic Security Service Office of Overseas Criminal Investigations, Singapore Police Force, and Attorney-General’s Chambers.