A former baseball star who made false and deceptive claims for a weight-loss product is being sued by the Federal Trade Commission this week for $1.1 million, reports the Associated Press.
Steve Garvey who endorsed the the Enforma weight-loss system in infomercials in 1999 and 2000, claimed that people could eat "forbidden foods" like chicken, ribs and biscuits.
FTC lawyer David Frankel quoted Garvey as telling viewers: "Look at all these delicious supposedly forbidden foods - barbecued chicken and ribs, buttered biscuits. Foods you can eat when you crave them, without guilt, without worry, and it's all because of a few little capsules."
The Federal Trade Commission is suing the former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres first baseman for the $1.1 million he received for the product endorsement.
The judge said his decision would hinge not on whether Enforma was effective, but whether Garvey made a serious effort to substantiate the claims.
Enforma's chief executive, Andrew Grey, said the Los Angeles-based company has sold more than seven million bottles of the supplements since 1998, and added: "Our product is backed by years of scientific research."
Enforma Natural Products settled a deceptive advertising lawsuit with the FTC two years ago. Without admitting wrongdoing, the company agreed to pay $10 million and promised to refrain from deceptive claims.
Garvey no longer promotes Enforma products.