Geoffrey Berman, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Photo: John Taggart/Bloomberg

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan announced sweeping charges Monday in an alleged scheme by trainers and veterinarians to illegally administer misbranded performance-enhancing drugs to some of the top racehorses in the world.

In four separate indictments, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York accused 27 defendants of operating international doping rings in violation of U.S. laws meant to protect horses and to ensure fair competition.

"Today's unsealing of four indictments for widespread doping of racehorses is the largest ever of its kind from the Department of Justice," U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement. "These defendants engaged in this conduct not for the love of the sport, and certainly not out of concern for the horses, but for money."

The targets of Monday's indictments included Jason Servis, the trainer of Maximum Security, the first horse to cross the finish line at last year's Kentucky Derby before being disqualified for interference, as well as more than two other professionals across the horse racing industry.

Servis was indicted alongside fellow trainer Jorge Navarro, who prosecutors accused of doping XY Jet, a thoroughbred that won the 2019 Golden Shaheen race in Dubai before dying of a heart attack in January.

Prosecutors alleged that Navarro used a series of straw purchases to obtain products designed to mask the presence of PEDs and worked with his co-defendants to avoid detection by racing officials. Among Navarro's preferred PEDs, the U.S. Attorney's Office said, were various "blood building" drugs, which can lead to cardiac issues and death when administered prior to intense periods of intense physical exertion.

Berman's office said it was still investigating the circumstances surrounding XY's death Jan. 8.

"These men allegedly saw the $100 billion global horse racing industry as their way to get rich at the expense of the animals that were doing all the hard work. Our investigation reveals the cruelty and inhumane treatment these horses suffered all to win a race," said FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr.

Navarro and Servis could not immediately be reached for comment. Attorneys for the accused were not listed as of Monday afternoon.

The indictments accused a number of accomplices of manufacturing and distributing drugs specifically designed to avoid anti-doping tests. Others, prosecutors said, had tried to conceal the alleged doping with falsified veterinary bills and fake prescriptions.

Berman said Monday that 13 of the 19 defendants charged in the "misbranding conspiracy" had been arrested and were expected to be presented before a federal magistrate judge. One defendant, veterinarian Seth Fishman, had been previously charged in Florida, and the remaining defendants were arrested outside of Manhattan and were expected to appear in court Monday.

The cases have been assigned to U.S. District Judges Mary Kay Vyskocil, P. Kevin Castel and J. Paul Oetken.

The prosecution was being handled by the money laundering and transnational criminal enterprises unit of the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office.

Read More: 

Ex-Congressman Christopher Collins Sentenced to 26 Months for Insider Trading

Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Charged With Obstruction in Manhattan Federal Court

Federal Prosecutors Charge 2 Men With Giuliani Ties in Campaign-Finance Violation Probe