Lake Forest, Ill. — A company is facing a $3.68 million suit from the Federal Trade Commission over false advertising of their products. Mark Nottoli and his company, Nourish Life, LLC are facing charges of false advertisement after claiming that their products, Speak softgel and capsules as well as Speak Smooth liquid— which were both made for children— can effectively cure speech defects in young children.
Nourish Life has been manufacturing and selling their products online and through different autism conferences since 2008. The products, which were sold at about $70 per bottle, reportedly made fake promises that they can cure speech difficulties in children— and even used unfounded testimonies by supposed consumers who had their children try out the products.
The company could not produce any scientific basis that could back their claims.
Following the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Charges, the company has agreed to pay the amount of $200,000 for the penalty, but the remainder of the proceedings are currently put on hold due to the company’s inability to to come up with the sum of the original penalty imposed upon them.
FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich says the company “took advantage of the parents‘ trust“.
The distributors who helped sell the Nourish Life products were also included in the suit, as FTC claims they took part in distributing materials that were deceptive and included false claims.
Contributed by Althea Estrella Violeta
Sources:
Stacey Cohen on the Consumers Affairs website: FTC: “Speak” dietary supplements not shown to relieve autism
Mitch Lipka on the Daily Finance website: FTC: Firm Falsely Claimed Supplements Could Treat Autism