Enterprising gone wrong: Man convicted of selling fake Star Trek medical devices

A man has been sentenced to five years in prison for selling investors fake medical devices inspired by the sci-fi TV show Star Trek.

Howard Leventhal claimed his company, Neovision USA, would sell the product Heltheo’s McCoy Home Health Tablet, which would function like Dr. Leonard McCoy’s tricorder on Star Trek.

Leventhal forged Canada’s former deputy health commissioner, Glenda Yeates’ signature to aid him in soliciting more than $26 million from investors. Leventhal said that his company Neovision USA had a lucrative agreement with the Canadian government.

However, Leventhal’s scheme fell apart when he attempted to defraud an undercover FBI investigator.

Head of the FBI’s New York office, William Sweeney said: “Stranger than fiction truly applies in this case with the subject using a popular sci-fi movie as the inspiration to scam millions of dollars from people. He also forged the signature of the Canadian deputy health minister, which not many people would question as legitimate.”

Leventhal made a last-ditch attempt for leniency, pleading with Brooklyn federal court judge Brian Cogan before being sentenced. In a 40 minute presentation Leventhal detailed his post-conviction plans which would consist of a rehabilitation camp for ex-convicts called Heroes @ The Gate. The camp would rehabilitate ex-convicts through flying lessons, workshops, 3-D printing and web coding seminars.

Leventhal will also face three years’ supervised release alongside the sentence and was ordered to pay $$1,350,819.78

Judge Cogan said: “It became quite clear after the guilty plea that Mr. Leventhal only sees the world through Mr. Leventhal. I don’t think he’s going to change. I don’t think he can see things clearly”