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1 STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF: AG CASE NO. L Doctors Best Wellness Centers, Inc. and Val Manocchio, Respondents ~' ASSURANCE OF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE 1. PURSUANT to the provisions of Chapter 501, Part II of the Florida Statutes, Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, the Office Of The Attorney General, Department of Legal Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the "Department"), caused an investigation to be made into certain acts and practices of Doctors Best Wellness Centers, Inc., a Florida for-profit corporation and its owner and president, Val Manocchio (collectively hereinafter, "Respondents"). 2. Doctors Best Wellness Centers, Inc. ("Doctors Best") is a medical clinic with its principal place ofbusiness registered as 5542 South Flamingo Road, Cooper City, Florida Val Manocchio ("Manocchio") is an individual residing at 1821 NW 72nd Way, Hollywood, Florida and is owner and president of Doctors Best. 3. Respondents are prepared to enter into this Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (hereafter referred to as the "AVC") without an admission that Respondents violated Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act or any other law and solely for the purpose of resolution of this matter with the Department. 1

2 4. Pursuant to Section (6), Florida Statutes, the Department agrees to accept this AVC in termination of its investigation as to Respondents solely as to the acts and practices that were the subject of the investigation. I. STIPULATED FACTS 5. The Department and Respondents hereby agree and stipulate to the following: a. During the time frame beginning at least November 2010 through April 2013, Respondents have engaged in the business of offering and providing weight loss programs and services to consumers in Florida and elsewhere. b. The weight loss programs in question utilize prescription injections of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin ("HCG") in conjunction with calorie-restricted diets. These weight loss programs are hereinafter referred to as "HCG Weight-Loss Programs". c. As of the Effective Date of this Agreement, the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has not approved prescription HCG for use in weight loss. d. The Department has investigated allegations that Respondents advertised their HCG and calorie-restricted diets without disclosing that HCG is not approved by the FDA for weight loss and without providing FDA-required disclosures on their website, located at and other print and electronic advertisements. 6. Respondents represent that, since they became aware of the Department's investigation, on or about April 14, 2013, Respondents have amended their website at to include the FDA-required disclaimer. 7. This AVC is based upon the stipulated facts set forth herein. The Department shall not be estopped from taking further action in this matter should the facts described herein be shown to be incorrect in any material way or should this AVC not be complied with in full by 2

3 Respondents. The parties agree that this A VC has been entered into based on the truthfulness of the information provided by Respondents. II. COMPLIANCE 8. Respondents, including their representatives, agents, employees, successors, assigns, independent contractors or any other person who acts under, by, through, or on behalf of Respondents, directly or indirectly, or through any corporate or other device, shall: a. Comply with the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Chapter 501, Part II, Florida Statutes; b. Comply with the Florida Commercial Weight-Loss Practices Act, Florida Statutes Sections , when applicable; c. Comply with the United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including but not limited to Sections 301, 503 and 505 of the Act relating to "new" and "prescription" drugs; d. Refrain from advertising that a product Respondents offer can prevent, treat or cure human disease unless Respondents possess competent and reliable scientific evidence, including, when appropriate, well-controlled human clinical studies substantiating that the claims are true at the time they are made; e. Refrain from making or exaggerating claims, whether directly or indirectly, through the use of a product name, website name, metatags or other means, without rigorous scientific evidence sufficient to substantiate the claims; f. Cease advertising HCG Weight-Loss Programs without disclosing that HCG is not approved by the FDA as a weight-loss supplement, unless the FDA issues a determination to the contrary, by including the following disclaimer: "HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or "normal" distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.,"; g. Cease promoting HCG Weight-Loss Programs on their website(s) without including the disclaimer in part (f), above, whenever Respondents make claims regarding the benefits ofhcg as a weight-loss supplement; h. Provide the disclaimer in part (f), above, to consumers with any materials provided in person to the consumers regarding HCG Weight-Loss Programs; 3

4 1. Provide other and further disclosures in advertisements, on their website(s), and in person as appropriate. III. BUSINESS RECORDS 9. Respondents shall preserve and retain all relevant business and financial records relating to the acts and practices at issue in this AVC and other information reasonably sufficient to establish compliance with the provisions of this AVC for two (2) years from the date of this AVC, and shall provide reasonable access to such documents and information to the Department upon request. IV. CONSUMER RECORDS 10. Any personal or financial information of consumers in the custody, control or possession of Respondents shall be securely stored in such a manner as to reasonably protect against inadvertent disclosure of consumer information. Respondents, including any representatives, agents, employees, successors, and assigns, shall not, directly or indirectly, market, sell, share or otherwise disclose the name, contact information, or financial information of any consumer in the care, custody or control of Respondents. V. NOTICE 11. Respondents shall make the terms and conditions of this A VC known to any managers, members, officers, directors, employees, agents, independent contractors or anyone else acting for or on behalf of Respondents. The obligations imposed by this AVC are continuing in nature and shall apply to Respondents' successors and assigns as well as any and all new officers, employees, agents, representatives or any other persons who become engaged in the business or activities of Respondents. 4

5 12. Respondents shall not affect any change in the form of doing business or the organizational identity of any of the existing business entities or create any new business entities as a method of avoiding the obligations and terms and conditions set forth in this AVC. VI. RESTITUTION 13. Given the nature and scope of this investigation, the parties agree that no restitution need be provided. The Department reserves the right to seek restitution on behalf of consumers for any additional violations of the terms of this AVC, and for any other violations of Florida Statutes et seq. or any other applicable statutes. VII. FEES AND COSTS 14. Respondents shall contribute $2, (Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars) to the Department pursuant to Section , Florida Statutes, in payment of attorneys' fees, costs and investigative fees regarding this investigation and future investigative fees and costs. All payments shall be made by wire transfer, cashier's check or other certified funds payable to Department of Legal Affairs Revolving Trust Fund. A payment of$1, (One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollars) shall be submitted to Assistant Attorney General Ronald Honick simultaneous with the submission of Respondents' partially executed copy of this AVC, with the remaining $1,250 (One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars) to be paid within 30 days of the effective date ofthis AVC. 15. The original AVC bearing the notarized signatures of Respondents and the payment(s) due hereunder will be delivered to the attention of Assistant Attorney General Ronald Honick, Office of Attorney General, Economic Crimes Division, 110 SE 6th Street, 1Oth Floor, Fort Lauderdale, FL

6 VIII. CIVIL PENAL TIES 16. Subject to Respondents' full, complete and timely compliance with the terms of this A VC, the Department is waiving, pursuant to this settlement and in consideration of the Respondents' performance hereunder, the civil penalties that would otherwise be due for the acts and practices at issue under Sections or , Florida Statutes, of up to $15,000 per violation. IX. FUTURE VIOLATIONS 17. It is hereby agreed by the parties that any failure to comply with the terms and conditions of this A VC by Respondents is by statute prima facie evidence of a violation of Chapter 501, Part II, Florida Statutes, and will subject Respondents to any and all civil penalties and sanctions authorized by law, including attorneys' fees and costs. In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction makes a determination that a violation of any condition of this A VC has occurred, then Respondents shall be liable to a consent judgment against Respondents in an amount to be determined by the court, encompassing civil penalties as well as attorney's fees and costs and any other legal or equitable relief as the court may determine appropriate. X. EFFECTIVE DATE 18. The Effective Date of this A VC shall be the date of its execution and delivery by the Department. Acceptance by the Department shall be established by the signature of the South Florida Bureau Chief. The receipt by the Department of any monies pursuant to the A VC does not constitute acceptance by the Department, and any monies received shall be returned to Respondents ifthis AVC is not accepted and fully executed by the Department. XI. MISCELLANEOUS 6

7 19. It is further agreed that facsimile copies of signatures and notary seals may be accepted as original for the purposes of establishing the existence of this agreement, and this A VC may be executed in counterparts the compilation of which shall constitute the full and final agreement. 20. Notice to any of the parties to this A VC as may be required shall made by certified mail and at the addresses set forth below unless any party notifies the other parties in writing of another address to which notices should be provided. To Respondents: Val Manocchio 5542 South Flamingo Road Cooper City, Florida To the Department: Ronald J. Honick Assistant Attorney General Office of the Attorney General 110 Southeast 6th Street 1oth Floor Fort Lauderdale, FL Nothing in this AVC is to be construed as a waiver of any private rights of any person or release of any private rights, causes of action, or remedies of any person against Respondents or any other person or entity. 22. It is a condition of each of the Department's obligations under this A V C that the Respondents have fully and timely performed all of Respondents' obligations previously due under this AVC. 23. This A VC is the final, complete, and exclusive statement of the parties' agreement on the matters contained in this AVC, and it supersedes all previous negotiations and 7

8 agreements. Other than any representation expressly stated in this AVC, the parties have not made any representations or warranties to each other, and neither party's decision to enter into this AVC is based upon any statements by the other party outside of those in this AVC. 24. It is further agreed that the parties jointly participated in the negotiation of the terms of this A V C. No provision of this A V C shall be construed for or against any party on the grounds that one party had more control over establishing the terms of this AVC than another. 25. By my signature, I hereby affirm that I have authority to execute this AVC on behalf of the party indicated and, to the extent I am acting in a representative capacity, I am acting within the scope of my authority as corporate representative, and that by my signature I am binding the party/parties indicated to the terms and conditions of this A VC. SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW ON SEPARATE PAGES 8

9 For Respondents: DOCTORS BEST WELLNESS CENTERS, INC. Tj Signed: ~ Its: ~ l ~ By: Val ~;o VVlD STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF BROWARD )ss )ss BEFORE ME, an officer duly authorized to take acknowledgments in the State of Florida, ~1\\, MA'Ytt:?Ctf' 0 appeared of Doctors Best Wellness Centers, Inc., who produced B.. bew ~identification. S/he acknowledged before me that he executed the foregoing instrument for the purposes therein stated on the~ day of JvNe,2013. Subscribed to before me this ~ day of Jv 'Y'\e., 2013.,.. tt.~:'f~+;~ SOL BEN-ARI t:f ;;-~ MY COMMISSION# EE :. : EXPIRES: June 26, 2016 llf.. f:' '' Bonded Thru Notarf Public UnderNriters NOTARY PUBLIC Personally known or Produced Identification ~ (check one) Type ofldentification Produced: S: \..~ ~2.-\'\1. '-' C VAL MANOCCHIO Signed: STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF BROWARD )ss )ss BEFORE ME, an officer duly authorized to take acknowledgments in the State of Florida,, appeared Val Manocchio, who produced t=\. t:q\t. U~s identification. S/he acknowledged before me that he executed the foregoing instrument for the purposes therein stated on the 2$._ day of "3\2-ne, Subscribed to before me this 25 day of Tu ne, ~''''!It~,,,,, SOL BEN ARI ~~"'/'"/:.;,~: MY COMMISSION # EE ~-~}~j EXPIRES: June 26, 2016 "'1.~,,,,Hr... -<l{-~ Bonded Thru Notary Public UndeiWiiters ~,.. NOTARY PUBLIC Personally known or Produced Identification Type of Identification Produced: Pt-A 'J) ~ \ V. L.\ C,.,...- (check one) 9

10 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RONALD J. HONICK Assistant Attorney General 110 S.E. 6th Street, 9th Floor Fort Lauderdale, FL (954) (954) facsimile Dated: 9 /r/c2.o t3 ~) ~ FUL VIO JOSEPH Q South Florida Interim Bureau Chief, Consumer Protection Division Department of Legal Affairs OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 110 S.E. 6th Street, 9th Floor Fort Lauderdale, FL (954) (954) facsimile 10

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$W~S' \ (,-IJS$ t/ 1 V\ 1 C..$ STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF: AG CASE NO. LB-3-1095 Slender Fit U, LLC and Geraldine Kelleher, Respondents ----------------- - --