A class action lawsuit against the diet drug Zantrex also named MTV’s Jersey Shore “star” Snooki, because of her claim that the diet pills were the reason for her weight loss.
Ashley Brady, the lead plaintiff in the suit, claims that the diet pills are just glorified caffeine pills that don’t work and are a serious health risk to people who are obese or who have heart problems. The suit names Snooki, aka Nicole Polizzi, as well as Basic Research LLC, Zoller Laboratories and three employees.
Brady claims she bought the product in 2010, believing it would result in “546% More Weight Loss Than America’s #1 Selling Ephedra-Based Diet Pill,” and it would do so “without diet and exercise,” according to the lawsuit.
Though it’s hard to imagine anyone taking Snooki’s advice on anything, the complaint argues that “Snooki holds herself out as an expert in fitness. In this regard, she has amassed many fans and followers who specifically follow and listen to her advice on weight loss and fitness.”
“Not only is she the primary endorser of Zantrex products, she is, in fact, the face of the Zantrex brand,” the suit says.
As Courthouse News reports, Brady is asking for “class certification, an injunction and damages for fraud, breach of warranty, unjust enrichment, negligent misrepresentation, and violations of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.”
In 2011, Snooki began publicly attributing her weight loss to the Zantrex-3 diet pills, after she eventually dropped 50 pounds in the time following her Jersey Shore days. Even at the time, a number of doctors were skeptical of the pills, and pointed out a number of potential health risks associated with increasing caffeine to that degree. “This is outrageous. It’s a perfect example of bad endorsement. It’s a quick fix, potentially a dangerous one, and celebs may have a high profile, but they’re often not very credible sources,” Dr Keith Ayoob, an associate professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, told ABC News.
A lawyer for Zantrex has called the suit “baseless,” according to the New York Daily News.
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