New York Woman Sentenced to 3 Years for Selling Counterfeit Diet Pills on eBay That Tested Positive for Meth

Published Nov. 10, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

A Montana man bought diet pills on eBay, started taking them, and then failed a workplace drug test. He sent a tip to law enforcement. Investigators tested what was left of the pills and found methamphetamine. Federal prosecutors say the seller was Carrie Ann Taylor, 50, a New York woman who sold about 1,517 bottles of counterfeit diet pills. On Nov. 9, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana announced that Taylor had been sentenced to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release [1].

Status: Taylor pleaded guilty to mail fraud in March 2026 and was sentenced on Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer [1].

How the scheme worked

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the government alleged in court documents that Taylor sold diet pills laced with meth through eBay [1]:

• The first tip. On Sept. 5, 2023, a Billings man reported that he had ordered "Skald" brand diet pills on eBay in February 2023, started taking them in May, and failed an employer drug test in June. The leftover pills tested positive for meth.
• More customers. In March 2023, Taylor mailed six bottles labeled "Skald Oxydynamic Fat Scorcher" to a woman in Montana, who said she took them for months without losing weight. All the pills she turned over contained meth. Investigators later learned Taylor had sent pills to a woman in Randolph, Wisconsin, that also tested positive.
• Undercover buys. On April 3, 2024, an undercover agent ordered "PhenQ Ultra" and "PhenGold" from Taylor's eBay account. Both shipments to Billings tested positive for meth. Bottles ordered directly from the manufacturers tested negative.
• Every pill. Investigators collected pills from five shipments in 2023 and 2024. Every pill tested positive for meth.

Taylor "fraudulently sold the pills by falsely claiming they were legitimate diet supplements manufactured by real supplement companies," shipping them in falsely labeled bottles, according to the release. Several customers told her the pills were counterfeit, and one manufacturer sent her a cease-and-desist notice over counterfeit versions of its products [1].

In total, she sold about 1,517 bottles and made about $56,454 in profits, prosecutors said.

The harm

The release describes serious consequences for buyers. A U.S. Army service member who took the pills tested positive for meth in a random urinalysis and spent "significant amounts of money" on a lawyer to defend against drug-abuse allegations. Another buyer was fired after a positive workplace drug test [1]. The release does not name any customer, and neither do we.

Beyond the legal and job consequences, methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant. Taking it without knowing is a health risk, especially for people with heart conditions or other medications.

The defendant and her status

Carrie Ann Taylor, 50, New York. Pleaded guilty March 2026 to mail fraud (U.S. District Court, District of Montana); sentenced Nov. 6, 2026, to 3 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release [1]. The release does not give her city, a case number, or a restitution or forfeiture figure.

The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case [1].

Red flags for supplements bought online

General warning signs, not claims about any seller beyond what the court record shows:

• Well-known brand names at a discount from a marketplace seller rather than the brand's own store or an authorized retailer.
• Product names that don't match the brand's official lineup, or labels with typos and odd fonts.
• Unusually strong effects, such as racing heart, jitteriness, sleeplessness, or loss of appetite beyond what the label suggests.
• Reviews mentioning a failed drug test or saying the product is fake.
• A seller with many listings of different "brand" pills and no clear link to any manufacturer.

What to do

• Buy supplements directly from the manufacturer or an authorized retailer, and check the brand's website for a list of authorized sellers.
• Stop taking a product right away if you have unexpected side effects, and talk to a doctor. In an emergency, call 911; for poisoning questions, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
• Keep the bottle and packaging. If you suspect a fake, report it to the FDA's MedWatch program at fda.gov/medwatch, to the marketplace, and to the brand.
• If a supplement may have caused a failed drug test, keep the product, receipts and order records, and tell your employer and a lawyer promptly.
• Report fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.

Case status (as of Nov. 10, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status	Source
Carrie Ann Taylor, 50, New York	U.S. District Court, District of Montana (Judge William W. Mercer)	Pleaded guilty March 2026 to mail fraud; sentenced Nov. 6, 2026, to 3 years in prison + 3 years supervised release	[1]

Statuses can change. The release does not give a case number.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana, "New York woman sentenced to 3 years in prison for selling diet pills laced with meth," Nov. 9, 2026 (Press Release No. 26-292). https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/new-york-woman-sentenced-3-years-prison-selling-diet-pills-laced-meth

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