Supplement company to pay $200,000 amid claims of false advertising

A supplement company is expected to pay $200,000 to settle claims that it misled consumers by suggesting its products could balance hormones and even replace “bad” bacteria with “good” bacteria, authorities said.

Organifi, as well as its founder, Andrew Canole, agreed to the settlement after facing a consumer protection lawsuit by the California Food, Drug, and Medical Device Task Force. The group includes prosecutors in Alameda, Marin, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Francisco counties

The company, which is based out of San Diego, agreed to pay $150,000 in civil penalties and another $50,000 in investigative costs and restitution, authorities said.

“Nutritional supplements aren’t cheap,” said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, in a news release announcing the settlement. “Customers have a right to expect that the products they buy work as advertised.”

Organfi misled consumers by claiming its products — known as Gold, Pure, Green Juice and Red Juice — could provide a wealth of health benefits, such as balancing hormone and cortisol levels, according to the news release. The company also falsely said its products, which are made from fruits and vegetables, could regulate users’ parasympathetic nervous system, authorities said.