Controversial celebrity chef Pete Evans has copped heavy fines from Australia’s medical watchdog over the alleged unlawful advertising of therapeutic goods.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration recently launched an investigation into Evans’ claims that several products impacted a customer’s health.
Six infringement notices totalling $79,920 were issued to Peter Evans Chef Pty Ltd on Tuesday regarding the alleged advertising of therapeutic goods not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods at the time of advertising.
Those products included the ‘BioCharger’ device, hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers and two oral medicines.
The new fines comes after Evans, once one of Australia’s most popular TV chefs, looked a shadow of his former self on Monday as he resurfaced online for the first time in weeks.
From squeaky to scruffy: Now sporting deep wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes, he also had a scruffy grey beard and a weathered, red-tinged complexion (left). Right: Pete as viewers will remember him on Channel Seven’s My Kitchen Rules
Pete Evans (pictured with wife Nicola) is in more hot water after being fined almost $80,000 by the Therapeutic Goods Administration
His new appearance is worlds away from the squeaky-clean image he maintained while starring on Seven cooking show My Kitchen Rules.
In fact, the once youthful-looking restaurateur appears to have aged decades since quitting his television career just 12 months ago.
In May last year, it was announced that Evans had parted ways with Channel Seven after 10 years as a judge on MKR alongside Manu Feildel.
It effectively marked his break from the mainstream after years of flirting with off-the-wall ideas during his tenure at the network.
The TGA confirmed ‘fines were also issued for the alleged advertising of static magnet products and hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers that contained statements that implied the products were endorsed by a health professional.’
The authority also issued a directions notice to the company and sole director Evans for removal of alleged non-compliant advertising.
He was alleged advertising of therapeutic goods not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, including the ‘BioCharger’ device, which he claimed during a Facebook live stream last year could be used in relation to ‘Wuhan Coronavirus’.
My, how you’ve changed! Pete’s new appearance is worlds away from the squeaky-clean image he maintained while starring on Seven cooking show My Kitchen Rules (pictured)
All therapeutic goods must be entered in the ARTG before they can be lawfully advertised in Australia.
The fines comes a week after the TGA confirmed a new investigation into Evans’ claims about ‘other therapeutic items he has been but shouldn’t be advertising’.
The investigation was so top secret even Evans was unaware, TV Blackbox reported.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Peter Evans Chef Pty Ltd for comment.
It’s not the first time Evans has been fined by the TGA.
In April 2020, his company was issued two infringement notices worth $25,200 in relation to the ‘BioCharger’ device after Evans claimed during a Facebook live stream that the $15,000 device could be used in relation to ‘Wuhan Coronavirus’.
Celebrity chef Pete Evans is a prolific anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist. He’s pictured speaking during anti COVID-19 vaccination rally in Sydney in 2020
‘Any claim that references COVID-19 is a restricted representation under therapeutic goods legislation, and is of significant concern to the TGA given the heightened public concern about the pandemic,’ the TGA said at the time.
The TGA issued a warning to the company about other products.
‘Due to the repeated nature of the alleged advertising breaches, the TGA has also issued a directions notice to Mr Evans and his company, to cease advertising therapeutic goods not entered in the ARTG and to discontinue making various claims about therapeutic products,’ the watchdog’s latest statement added.
A month later, it was announced he had parted ways with Channel Seven after 10 years as a judge on My Kitchen Rules alongside Manu Feildel.
It effectively marked his break from the mainstream after years of flirting with off-the-wall ideas during his tenure at the network.
The BioCharger NG is described on the product’s website as a hybrid subtle energy revitalization platform.
It claims ‘transmitted energy stimulates and invigorates the entire body to optimize and improve potential health, wellness, and athletic performance, despite no evidence to back up the claims.
Several months later, Evans claimed the BioCharger and other non-scientific treatments were helping him recover from a surfing accident.
He was later slammed by the Australian Medical Association for spruiking the device, which was described as a ‘fancy light machine’.
The prolific anti-vaxxer was removed from Instagram, his final mainstream social media platform, in February.
Pete Evans’ company was fined $79,920 in additions to the $25,200 fines issues last April
Platform owner Facebook released a statement at the time, saying: ‘We removed Pete Evans’s account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines.’
We don’t allow anyone to share misinformation about COVID-19 that could lead to imminent physical harm or about COVID-19 vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts.’
Evans was kicked off Facebook itself in December, and his podcast was also removed from Spotify. He had one million Facebook followers.
Evans has been a vocal sceptic of the vaccine and even called the global COVID-19 crisis a ‘scamdemic’.
He was also dropped by 15 sponsors and companies in two days after posting a neo-Nazi meme to social media.