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NFL star Rodney Harrison got HGH from Palm Beach area company

Posted: Sep 6th 2007 By: mikeiles

When New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison wanted a supply of illegal human growth hormone, he turned to the same place that has become a focal point for drug-enforcement investigators: Palm Beach County.

Harrison, now serving a four-game drug suspension from the NFL, admitted he received HGH from the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center, said Albany County (N.Y.) District Attorney David Soares. Palm Beach Rejuvenation, a Jupiter-based firm run by Joseph L. Raich, and Orlando's Signature Pharmacy are at the forefront of Soares' two-year nationwide drug probe called "Operation Which Doctor."

Harrison, 34, a former Pro Bowl selection, bought the drugs via the Internet making no attempt to hide his name or home address, authorities said. They said Harrison bought HGH from Palm Beach Rejuvenation via a bogus prescription allegedly from cardiologist Robert G. Carlson, Raich's brother-in-law who has pleaded guilty in the case. Palm Beach Rejuvenation took clients' orders for drugs, then processed them through Signature Pharmacy, investigators say.

Raich also pleaded guilty to one felony count in Operation Which Doctor, which aims to halt Internet sales of HGH, steroids and other drugs being prescribed by doctors who have no face-to-face contact with patients.

Harrison was "very cooperative" when approached by investigators as a witness, Soares said Wednesday.

"He did not dodge any questions," Soares said. "He didn't dodge his involvement. We didn't even have to show him our proof. He admitted it and he had contrition for it. In his own (public) statement, he felt like he was being a bad example for high school and college kids and the younger guys on the team. That's what he said to us that day and he was consistent with that."

Soares, who said Harrison was referred to Palm Beach Rejuvenation rather than finding it via the Internet, wouldn't speculate on how many athletes received drugs from the two Florida firms. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he doubts other NFL players were involved.

Study looks past steroids

Investigators say they're concerned with those supplying the drugs rather than those receiving them, but prosecutors provided a list of drug clients to World Wrestling Entertainment, which suspended 10 performers last week. Three other wrestlers believed to be clients of Signature's web were Chris Benoit and Brian Adams, who died this year, and Eddie Guerrero, who died in 2005.

Benoit committed suicide after killing his wife and 7-year-old son in June, prompting speculation that "steroid rage" was a factor in his rampage inside his Georgia home. But Wednesday, a report was released suggesting repeated concussions and severe brain damage as possible factors. The study of Benoit's brain was conducted by the Sports Legacy Institute, a firm founded by former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinski that also studies concussions in the NFL.

Nowinski said he contacted Benoit's father, Michael, after the killings for permission to examine Chris Benoit's brain for possible damage similar to that of retired football players who committed suicide, including Andre Waters of Pahokee, the ex-Philadelphia Eagles defensive back.

"I certainly was surprised to see that Chris had the most extensive damage of any of the cases that we've seen so far, especially because he was so high-functioning professionally at the end of his life," Nowinski said.

Robert Cantu, a doctor with the Sports Legacy Institute, said it is impossible to determine if the concussions were a factor or the sole factor in the deaths but added that the injuries can cause depression and irrational behavior. Cantu said abnormal protein deposits on Benoit's brain were caused by trauma and there's no evidence steroid use can cause such deposits.

"There are lessons that should be taken from this. Managing the risk of head injuries should be one of them," said Nowinski, who retired after multiple concussions.

Although match results are scripted, it's common to see one performer hit another over the head with a chair. Nowinski said he'd give the WWE a copy of the report if it asks. In the ring, he added, "Most anything done correctly is not supposed to injure anyone. There are mistakes, but there are some things by design that you can't take the risk out of. Maybe those can be eliminated."

Michael Benoit, speaking at a news conference on the study's findings, was more blunt about the WWE.

"I work for a company that the No. 1 priority in the company is the health and safety of the people that work for us," Michael Benoit said. "I only wish that my son was in an organization that had the same values."

Wrestling link raised before

This isn't the first time Guerrero and Adams' names have surfaced in a steroid ring involving pro wrestlers in Florida. In 2003, the Hillsborough County sheriff arrested and charged John Todd Miller with posing as a doctor and running a Tampa medical clinic that allegedly supplied wrestlers, law enforcement officers and businessmen with anabolic steroids. The case was dropped because of a lack of evidence, but the case file shows how wrestlers might obtain drugs.

Misty Waldo, an employee of the clinic, told detectives that when she was hired, she was told to expect to see wrestlers at the clinic. Waldo said she sent overnight "packages" to Paul Wight, formerly known as "The Big Show" in the WWE, and Richard Fliehr, a top star whose professional name is Ric Flair. Investigators didn't specify the contents of those packages.

Wight did not return a message Wednesday. The WWE, Flair's employer, did not respond to a request for comment.

In documents filed by investigators, former University of North Carolina wrestler T.J. Jaworsky said he was introduced to Miller by Flair two years prior for help in healing a sports injury and that he paid $1,200 per "cycle" for unspecified drugs. Flair called Jaworsky "everything I'd want my kid to be" in his 2004 book, To Be The Man.

Contacted recently, Jaworsky said he hadn't talked to Flair in more than two years and he doesn't remember Miller. "It happened so long ago," Jaworsky said.

Former wrestler Dan Spivey, who testified that he received steroids from a Pennsylvania urologist in the '90s, told Tampa investigators he received weekly injections from Miller. Contacted recently, Spivey said Miller never presented himself as a doctor. Asked if he received steroids from Miller, Spivey said, "No. That's as much as I want to say. I don't feel comfortable talking about Todd."

Adams is mentioned in documents as referring another wrestler to the clinic. Eddie Guerrero, whose death was traced to steroid-related heart problems, told investigators he had been seeing Miller for two years and paid $200 to $300 per week for injections. Eddie Guerrero said he also paid for brother Hector's treatments, but Hector Guerrero said he never paid Miller. Instead, Hector Guerrero said, he gave Miller videos of Eddie's matches.

Tags: WWE, Ric Flair, Hector Guerrero, Steroids