Two Miami men have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in schemes that endangered patient health and breached drug safety rules, dealing a significant blow to illegal pharmaceutical operations. Boris Arencibia, 52, and Jose Armando Rivera Garcia, 45, were sentenced to 57 months each on Oct. 30 for their roles in a $28 million operation that trafficked misbranded and diverted prescription drugs, some of which were used to treat life-threatening conditions such as HIV and cancer, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Pharmaceutical drugs, which require exact storage to retain efficacy, were obtained from illicit street vendors and stored without care. The U.S. Attorney’s Office claims that “diverted drugs put patients’ lives at risk.” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida underscored the heinous nature of the conspiracy, with the defendants intentionally distributing contaminated drugs statewide.
The drugs in question were repackaged and accompanied by forged documentation to imitate legal supply chains before being marketed to pharmacies and unwary patients across the United States. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals posed major health dangers, with bottles carrying wrong medications, supplements, and, in some extreme cases, mere pebbles. The plan, revealed in two indictments—one in 2019 with 20 defendants and the other filed in 2025—showcased a vast network of criminality, deception, and contempt for human lives.
Arencibia and Rivera Garcia have pleaded guilty to various offenses, including conspiracy to launder money and trafficking medical items with fraudulent paperwork. The court imposed 57 months of prison time in the 2019 case, to be served concurrently with the 43-month terms in the 2025 case. The investigations, sponsored by several federal agencies, show a collaborative effort by FDA-OCI, FBI Miami, and HHS-OIG to ferret out wrongdoing in the ostensibly safe sanctuary of healthcare.
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles imposed the terms, citing the seriousness of the offense and the need for justice. The announcement was made by officials from the FDA, HHS-OIG, and FBI. More information about the cases can be obtained on the District Court’s webpage for the Southern District of Florida.
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