Weight loss supplement misled consumers, FTC warns

The celebrity nutritionist who promoted a controversial weight-loss supplement on The Dr. Oz Show is coming under fire from federal regulators.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Monday accused Lindsey Duncan and his two health companies, Pure Health LLC and Genesis Today, Inc., of “preying on consumers trying to improve their health.”

Duncan will pay $9 million to settle charges of false claims that he made about the benefits of green coffee bean extract.

“Lindsey Duncan and his companies made millions by falsely claiming that green coffee bean supplements cause significant and rapid weight loss,” Jessica Rich, the FTC’s director of consumer protection, said in a statement. 

On The Dr. Oz Show and other television programs, Duncan deceptively claimed green coffee bean extract could help consumers lose 17 pounds in 12 weeks without dieting or exercising, according to the FTC. 

Duncan based his claims on what the FTC called a “severely flawed” clinical study that has already settled charges with the agency. 

In addition to the fine, Duncan will also be prohibited from making misleading weight loss claims in the future that are not substantiated by scientific tests.