BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey has sued a company for falsely selling and advertising a fake hand sanitizer product to several Massachusetts school districts, including Nahant and Swampscott, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Healey filed a complaint Monday in Suffolk Superior Court, stating that School Health Corporation violated the Massachusetts False Claims Act, when it misled Nahant, Swampscott, Winchester, Framingham, Bridgewater-Raynham and Wachusett Regional School Districts and the City of Malden school districts into buying more than $100,000 worth of, “Theraworx Protect,” a fake hand-sanitizer product.
School Health claimed this product to be an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The product did not contain any key ingredients in traditional hand sanitizer, the AG’s office said.
“This company exploited fears around a growing public health crisis in order to profit by selling a bogus hand sanitizer to schools looking to stop the spread,” said Healey. “We are suing to hold this company accountable for these illegal actions that put the health of our children, teachers, and staff at risk.”
The complaint claims that in March 2020, an email was sent to a client from School Health staff, stating that the product had no scientific evidence to back up claims that it could effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states hand sanitizers that use active ingredients other than alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, or benzalkonium should be avoided.
Healey’s complaint is seeking restitution including civil penalties, triple damages, attorney fees and costs of the investigation. The AG’s Office said it plans to reimburse all affected cities and towns with these funds.
Assistant Attorney General Mary-Ellen Kennedy the Attorney General’s False Claims Division, with the help of False Claims Division Chief Amy Crafts, Assistant Attorney General Shannon Keating, Paralegal Cara Bradley, and former Special Assistant Attorney General Coleman Gay, are handling the matter.
Healey created the False Claims Division in 2015 to protect public funds and promote accountability in public contracting. She encourages anyone with information about suspected abuse or fraud relating to state or municipal funds or contracts to contact the False Claims Division’s tip line at 617-963-2600.
