4 THE QUEENS COURIER • MAY 30, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Flushing shop
sold phony
supplements
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
edavenport@qns.com
@QNS
A Flushing supplement shop owner
is in hot water for allegedly making
and selling poor quality dietary supplements.
Th e complaint states that Helen
Chian and Jim Chao, president and
manager of Confi dence USA Inc.,
allegedly make and distribute more
than adulterated 50 dietary supplements
under brand names that include
Confi dence USA, American Best, USA
Natural and Th e Herbal Store.
Offi cials say that Chian also owns
Th e Herbal Store, located at 42-35
Main St., Unit 1C in Flushing, where
they sell the products in question.
“Millions of Americans take dietary
supplements and trust that these products
are safe,” stated U.S. Attorney
Richard P. Donoghue of the Eastern
District of New York. “Th is offi ce is
committed to protecting those consumers
and holding dietary supplement
manufacturers and distributors to
current safety standards. Today’s fi ling
demonstrates that we will take action
to enforce those standards and keep the
public safe.”
According to the complaint, the FDA
previously issued a warning letter to
Confi dence USA in 2011 regarding
defi ciencies at the company. United
States Marshals had also seized certain
Confi dence USA products in connection
with a 2012 complaint alleging
that the products were adulterated.
Dietary supplements that are not prepared,
packed and held in conformance
with current good manufacturing practices
are adulterated in violation of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
“Ensuring product integrity is a priority
for the FDA,” stated Melinda
Plaisier, associate commissioner for
regulatory aff airs at the Food and Drug
Administration. “Consumers should be
able to expect that the dietary supplements
they purchase meet quality standards
and contain only what they are
supposed to, in the correct amounts.
Th e FDA will continue to take swift
action against companies that sell adulterated
dietary supplements.”
SOCIAL CLUB STICKUP
Trio sought for daring Flushing caper
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
edavenport@qns.com
@QNS
Cops are looking for four men who
robbed six people at gunpoint in a
Flushing club last week.
According to authorities, at 9:15 p.m.
on May 21, four unknown men entered a
club, located at 135-14 37th Ave., with fi rearms.
Once inside, the suspects demanded
property from six diff erent men inside.
Law enforcement sources said the
thieves proceeded to take $4,700 in cash,
cellphones, jewelry and credit cards from
the victims. Th e gunmen then fl ed the
scene in a Toyota Sienna van southbound
on Prince Street.
Th e incident was reported to the 109th
Precinct. Th ere were no reported injuries.
Police described the suspects as Asian
men. Th e fi rst suspect, pictured above,
was last seen wearing eyeglasses, a baseball
hat, a bicycle helmet, a zip-up jacket,
and sneakers. He displayed a shotgun
during the incident.
The three remaining perpetrators
each wore surgical masks, and two displayed
handguns during the robbery. Th e
gun-wielding crooks was last seen wearing
a wig, sunglasses and a zip-up jacket.
One additional suspect was last seen
wearing a baseball hat with an “NY” logo,
and a zip-up jacket and was carrying a
backpack.
Anyone with information regarding
the suspects’ whereabouts can call Crime
Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. All calls ar
ekept confi dential.
Photos courtesy of NYPD
Whitestone group looks to expand senior outreach
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
The We Love Whitestone Civic
Association is taking a new approach to
better connect with its elderly neighbors
notifying them of upcoming events in the
community.
Th e association is composing a list
of volunteers to print and distribute its
meeting notices and event fl iers to its
neighbors, friends and others. Th ey’re
also encouraging local businesses to print
and post civic meeting notices in their
storefronts, according to Alfredo Centola,
president of We Love Whitestone.
Th e need to get the community involved
stemmed from a discussion one day at a
local supermarket with several women
who have lived in the community for over
50 to 60 years, said Centola.
“Th ey mentioned how they used to be
do we help them? How do we get them
involved but the opportunity is no longer
involved?”
present for them,” said Centola. “I said,
Th e organization is welcoming suggestions
‘No, that’s not so, we are always looking
on what else can be done to get
for volunteers,’” said Centola.
the rest of the community involved. All
While issuing the women business
Whitestone residents are encouraged to
cards, Centola said he realized that they
send a note to the organization via email:
might not have a Facebook account and
WELOVEWHITESTONE@GMAIL.
rarely check their emails.
COM / WELOVEWHITESTONE2@
“So I asked, three out of four weren’t on
GMAIL.COM.
Facebook and two out of four had their
Residents can also mail a note to the following
grandkids check their emails with them
address: We Love Whitestone Civic
— granted this isn’t every senior in our
Association PO BOX 29, Whitestone, NY,
community, but there is a large enough
11357, or contact the organization on its
segment … that’s when it hit me!” said
website at WELOVEWHITESTONE.COM.
Centola. “How do we reach them? How
Th e We Love Whitestone Association
Photo via Getty Images
has been operating in the community
for fi ve years with thousands of members
engaged in events and meetings, according
to Centola. So far, the group has organized
the holiday lights in the village,
Halloween Trunk or Treat, movie night in
the park, a popular Family Fun Day event
in conjunction with the 109th Precinct
in Francis Lewis Park, and several other
community events.
Th is month, the organization will be
co-hosting a free pet chip event, a drug
addiction presentation with baseball legend
Darry Strawberry and a District
Attorney Meet the Candidates Night
forum.
/WELOVEWHITESTONE.COM
link
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
/GMAIL.COM
link
link
link
link
link
