Federal prosecutors say a Cobb County man distributed and sold a product he falsely claimed would kill the virus that causes COVID-19.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has charged Stephen Matthew Shumaker, 43, of Marietta with mail fraud and knowingly distributing and selling a device that doesn’t do what it claims.
According to prosecutors, Shumaker “engaged in a scheme” to defraud customers with claims that the Beyond Guardian air purifier would kill the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and other viral and bacterial infections.
According to an affidavit filed June 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, a postal inspector was notified in April by a resident who received a “suspicious” post card claiming that the filter would “create clean air for less than $1/day” and “kill COVID-19, coronavirus in your home.”
Prosecutors say the post cards also claimed that the air purifier uses technology to create hydrogen peroxide, a “known killer of COVID-19,” which the feds say is “false and misleading.” The affidavit says 5,777 postcards were mailed on behalf of Shumaker and his company, Pure Life Water Corp.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the Environmental Protection Agency has also found Shumaker's product was misbranded, which violates federal law. Devices are classified by the EPA as misbranded if they have any statements or graphics that are false or misleading, among other things, according to its website.
“Shumaker allegedly used the COVID-19 pandemic to sell a product that does not provide the benefits he advertised,” said U.S. Attorney BJay Pak. “We are proud to be part of the Georgia COVID-19 Task Force, which continues to identify and prosecute those who attempt to perpetrate coronavirus-related fraud schemes.”
The task force works to protect citizens from fraud stemming from the pandemic. If you think you may be a victim of a potential scam involving COVID-19, call the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or visit the agency's website.
Like Cobb County News Now on Facebook | Follow on Twitter
About the Author
