Sensaslim founder jailed
October 28, 2013
Peter Foster, the controversial
figure behind several weight loss
products including Sensaslim (PD
02 Dec 11) and TRIMit, has been
sentenced to three years in prison
for contempt of court.
The conviction relates to a
former ruling against Foster, who
in 2005 was restrained for five
years from “being directly or
indirectly knowingly concerned
in the promotion or conduct by a
corporation of any business relating
to weight loss, cosmetic or health
industry products or services of
any kind” after his company Chaste
Corporation, which promoted
TRIMit through a network of
distributors, went into liquidation.
Contrary to this order, the ACCC
alleged that Foster subsequently
became involved in the Sensaslim
business which had a similar model,
enlisting resellers and making
false claims about the weight loss
efficacy of the product.
Last month the Federal Court
found that Foster was “directly
knowingly concerned” in the
Sensaslim operation, in breach of
the court orders.
Justice Logan found that Foster
had engaged in a deliberate course
of conduct which saw him have
an “intimate involvement from
inception with and control of
Sensaslim’s operations”.
The Sensaslim saga included a
defamation case brought by the
company against academic Ken
Harvey (PD 14 Feb 12) which was
later struck out, as well as the
eventual TGA deregistration of the
weight loss spray and the collapse
of the company.
In his sentencing judgement
the judge said it was “difficult
to envisage a more flagrant and
deliberate breach,” with Foster’s
conduct having denied investors in
the Sensaslim scheme the benefit
of making an informed decision.
The sentence includes 18 months
to be served and 18 months
suspended, while Foster is also
restrained for a further three years
from involvement in the weight
loss, cosmetic or health industry.
Foster’s colourful career has
included several convictions and
settlements including some relating
to products such as Bai Lin Tea for
weight loss, and a “thigh contour
treatment” called Biometrics.
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