Boris Arencibia, a 52-year-old Cuban entrepreneur and promoter, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison due to his involvement in a large-scale criminal scheme. This operation involved the sale of diverted and mislabeled medications, including drugs used to treat severe illnesses such as HIV and cancer.
Alongside Arencibia, José Armando Rivera García, aged 45, received a similar sentence for his role in the same illicit network.
Both individuals pleaded guilty in two separate federal cases that were related. Their fraudulent activities involved the distribution of counterfeit pharmaceuticals valued at over $28 million.
The Danger Behind the Scheme
The Southern District of Florida's U.S. Attorney's Office revealed that Arencibia and Rivera obtained a significant volume of prescription drugs through illegal channels. Some of these drugs were sold directly by patients, while others were acquired using fraudulent prescriptions.
These medications, which required specific storage conditions to maintain their effectiveness, were carelessly stored without proper oversight. Federal prosecutor Jason A. Reding Quiñones emphasized the severity of the case by stating, "Diverted medications endanger patients' lives."
After acquiring the drugs, they were repackaged with falsified documentation to make them appear as if they originated from legitimate manufacturers or authorized wholesalers. These drugs were then distributed from fake pharmaceutical companies to pharmacies across the United States, where unsuspecting patients purchased them.
In some instances, the contents of the bottles did not match the prescribed treatment. Bottles were discovered containing vitamins, incorrect medications, and even small stones, posing serious health risks to consumers.
Two Legal Battles in One Criminal Network
The initial legal proceedings began in 2019 when a conspiracy involving 20 accused individuals was dismantled. All but one of those charged received prison sentences ranging from 30 months to 14 years.
Arencibia was identified as a major player in acquiring large quantities of drugs from the black market, which he then supplied to Rivera García. Rivera García established a company called LDD Distributors to receive these products and pass them on to a wholesaler controlled by another accused person. Both men were sentenced to 57 months in prison for this case.
The subsequent legal case took place in 2025, revealing that the defendants had resumed their criminal activities by operating a new wholesale drug distributor. With this company, they continued selling diverted products to U.S. pharmacies, employing a more sophisticated falsified documentation structure.
For this second case, they were sentenced to 43 months in prison, with the court ruling that both sentences would be served concurrently.
"These defendants knowingly introduced contaminated and repackaged medications into pharmacies nationwide, fully aware of the risks," Reding Quiñones reiterated. "Our Office will continue working with the FDA, HHS OIG, and FBI to safeguard patients and hold those accountable who turn the healthcare system into a criminal marketplace."
Federal Investigation and Legal Proceedings
The 2019 case was investigated by the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) and the FBI, whereas the 2025 case was handled by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Tamen and Nicole Grosnoff, along with Justice Department litigator Jacqueline Zee DerOvanesian, prosecuted the cases. Federal Judge Darrin P. Gayles presided over the sentencing. Although the combined sentences total 100 months, serving them concurrently means Arencibia and Rivera García will spend less than five years in prison.
From Judo Champion to Cultural Promoter… to Criminal
Boris Arencibia's past was not always tied to crime. Born on September 7, 1973, in Pinar del Río, Cuba, he was a renowned judoka, winning the national championship seven times.
In 1993, at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he defected from the Cuban delegation, beginning a new chapter of his life in the United States.
The following year, representing the U.S., he won the national championship in the 60 kg category. Despite his athletic success, Arencibia soon left judo to pursue ventures in the entertainment industry, founding companies, organizing events, and establishing himself as a cultural promoter.
He was the main organizer of the Santa María Music Fest, a music festival in Cuba's northern cays, promoting tourism to facilities of the military conglomerate Gaviota, linked to the Cuban regime. His name became associated with power circles and official interests in Havana.
Controversies Beyond Pharmaceuticals
Arencibia's image has also been marred by incidents outside the business realm. He was involved in two violent altercations at Miami bars, including an accusation of assaulting influencer Ultrack and his then-wife, Amanda Sanz, in a widely publicized incident on social media.
These controversies, coupled with his involvement in an adulterated drug network, have further tarnished his public image, particularly among the Cuban exile community.
Once a symbol of Cuban athletic talent and later a cultural promoter, Boris Arencibia now faces the repercussions of his crimes with a sentence that will distance him from business and public life for several years.
Legal and Criminal Implications of the Case
What was Boris Arencibia convicted of?
Boris Arencibia was convicted for his involvement in a criminal scheme that involved the sale of diverted and mislabeled medications, including drugs for HIV and cancer treatment.
How did Arencibia's criminal activities impact consumers?
Arencibia's actions put consumers at risk by distributing medications that were improperly stored, mislabeled, and sometimes contained incorrect or harmful substances.