MaltaMedia.com

A Canadian sports doctor of Maltese descent, Anthony Galea, was on Thursday charged with smuggling banned substances in the United States, which he used for treating over 20 pro-athletes, The New York Daily reported.

Dr Galea, aged 51 from Toronto, lists athletes like Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez among his high-profile clientele. He is accused of billing patients over €500,000 for treatments conducted in the United States without an American work permit or medical license. Furthermore he is accused of injecting growth hormones and calf-blood derivatives, which are not permitted in America.

Investigations started in September 2009, when United States authorities searched a Nissan Rogue driven by Galea’s assistant Mary Anne Catalano in Buffalo. There they found Actovegin, which is illegal in the U.S. and not approved for use in Canada, as well as human growth hormone, homeopathic drugs and medical equipment. His assistant Catalano pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of lying to the agents.

New York Daily added that Dr Galea also faces drug-related charges in Canada, is known for treating athletes with a legal procedure called platelet-rich plasma therapy or “blood-spinning,” in which blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge, then injected in an attempt to heal injuries.

Also Galea has acknowledged that he uses human growth hormone personally. Athletes Beltran and Reyes have admitted to talking to federal authorities about Dr.Galea, who pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Anthony Galea risks a sentence of 20 years imprisonment , if he is found guilty to the most serious charge in the indictment, smuggling. Arraignment is not yet scheduled.