UFC's Yoel Romero Awarded $27.65 Million in Tainted Supplement Lawsuit, According to Fighter's Legal Team

NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A New Jersey state court entered a $27.65 million judgment for UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero following a damages trial involving a tainted training supplement that led to a suspension and lost professional opportunities, his legal team said today.

Entered by the Hon. Carlia M. Brady, the judgment against Goldstar Performance Products, a New Jersey corporation, includes lost wages/contract losses, damage to reputation, and emotional distress claims. The lawsuit accused the supplement maker of negligence, strict products liability, breach of implied warranties, intentional misrepresentation, and a violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.

Mr. Romero is represented by attorneys Jeffrey S Craig, of Craig, Annin & Baxter, LLP, of Woodbury, N.J.; Howard L. Jacobs, of the Law Offices of Howard L. Jacobs, of Westlake Village, Calif.; and R. Daniel Fleck of The Spence Law Firm, LLC, of Jackson, Wyo.

A former Olympic wrestling silver medalist and native of Cuba, Mr. Romero failed a drug test in 2015, but the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) later determined that the Goldstar Performance Products dietary supplement he took – "Shed Rx" – was tainted with ibutamoren, a simulated growth hormone. The banned drug was not on the warning label.

Mr. Craig, of Craig, Annin & Baxter, LLP, said, "This win helps clear Yoel's name. Before and after this unfortunate incident, he strived to train and perform to the best of his ability – and within the rules. He paid a high price, from lost professional opportunities to reputational damage, because of this supplement company's misconduct."

Mr. Jacobs, of the Law Offices of Howard L. Jacobs, said, "From his wrestling world championship to the Olympics to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Yoel's journey has been long, successful and truthful. Winning this case was another important step forward for him in setting the record straight."

Mr. Fleck, of The Spence Law Firm, said, "Illegal design, production, distribution and marketing of training supplements is a serious problem. This case and Yoel's win should send a message to the supplement industry: if you recklessly endanger athletes – whether they are amateurs or world elites – you will face harsh consequences."

The case is Yoel Romero v. Goldstar Performance Products, et al., Civil Action MID-L-007287-17, in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County.

CONTACT: Erin Powers, Powers MediaWorks LLC, for The Spence Law Firm, LLC, 281.703.6000, [email protected].

SOURCE The Spence Law Firm, LLC

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