Bryce Cleveland, president and chief executive officer of Scalpa, Inc., has admitted guilt to three federal criminal charges tied to the company‘s sale of skincare and cosmetic products that were never approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The 42-year-old Scottsdale, Arizona, resident pleaded guilty to mail fraud, introducing an adulterated medical device into interstate commerce, and introducing an unapproved new drug into interstate commerce.
As part of his plea agreement, Cleveland accepted responsibility for his role in distributing products that federal authorities say violated U.S. health and safety laws.
Arrest Followed International Apprehension
Cleveland’s guilty plea comes after an international effort to bring him back to the United States.
Authorities located him in Colombia late last year, where he was apprehended before being returned to the U.S.
Upon his arrival, he was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service on an outstanding federal warrant linked to an indictment returned in July 2024.
His extradition involved coordination between U.S. and international law enforcement agencies.
Prosecutors Outline Multi-Year Fraud Scheme
According to court filings, Scalpa, Inc., an Arizona-based for-profit corporation established in 2015, marketed products claiming to alter the structure and function of the human body.
Prosecutors said that from March 2018 through December 2020, Cleveland orchestrated a scheme that promoted and sold medical devices and drug products without the approvals required under federal law.
Authorities alleged that customers were falsely assured that products such as the ScalpaJECT Hyaluronic Acid device and the Hyaluron Pen were not subject to FDA oversight.
During the same period, Cleveland also marketed and distributed an injectable product known as “Scalpatox,” which prosecutors described as an unapproved new drug.
FDA Raises Concerns Over Injectable Products
Federal officials emphasized that the products involved in the case presented significant public health concerns because they were designed for injection into the body.
Injectable products can bypass the body’s natural protective barriers, increasing the risk of contamination, infection, toxic reactions, and other potentially life-threatening complications.
The FDA has repeatedly warned consumers that improperly regulated injectable products carry heightened safety risks due to the manner in which they are administered.
Scalpatox Linked to Earlier FDA Warning
Investigators also highlighted concerns surrounding Scalpatox, describing it as an unapproved and misbranded botulinum toxin product.
In November 2025, the FDA issued warning letters to operators of websites marketing unauthorized botulinum toxin products commonly referred to as Botox.
The agency stated that it had received reports of adverse health events, including symptoms consistent with botulism, associated with the use of unapproved versions of these products.
Prison Sentence, Restitution and Asset Forfeiture Agreed
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Cleveland has agreed to a prison sentence ranging from four to eight years.
He also agreed to pay restitution covering the full scope of the criminal conduct admitted in the case.
In addition, prosecutors secured Cleveland’s agreement to forfeit $800,000 connected to the offenses.
Multiple Agencies Assisted in Investigation
The investigation was led by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Support was also provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, and the U.S. Marshals Service, which played a key role in locating Cleveland in Colombia and facilitating his return to face prosecution in the United States.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey Hall and Randy Ramseyer for the Western District of Virginia, together with Trial Attorney Taylor Broadbent of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division Health and Safety Unit, which focuses on prosecuting individuals and companies accused of distributing dangerous or unlawful consumer products.
