Redwood Scientific Technologies satisfies FTC’s CID

Redwood Scientific Technologies finally handed over the documents federal regulators demanded—but the company's troubles are far from over.

The FTC launched an investigation into the company in early 2017 over potential violations of the FTC Act. It took until October 2018 for Redwood to fully comply with a Civil Investigation Demand, the agency's formal request for evidence and records.

The company stalled for months. Starting in August 2017, Redwood missed multiple production deadlines. The FTC grew impatient and escalated the matter to court. Redwood continued to miss deadlines throughout 2018, prompting a judge to schedule a status conference to light a fire under the company's feet.

That worked. In late September, Redwood's attorneys finally got serious. Following a hearing on September 17, 2018, the parties traded calls and emails. On September 24, Redwood submitted supplemental responses to document requests and interrogatory answers the company should have provided months earlier.

More importantly, Redwood's legal team began digging into company records for additional advertising materials related to two products: TBX-FREE and Eupepsia Thin. They also compiled updated sales figures, refund records, and complaints from consumers.

By October 18, the FTC confirmed it had received everything requested. That same day, both sides filed a Joint Stipulation to Dismiss the court case. A judge signed off the next day.

But dismissing the court case doesn't mean the investigation ends. The FTC now has over a year's worth of documents to review for evidence of deceptive practices. Whether regulators file charges against the company remains unclear.

Redwood Scientific Technologies operates RengaLife, an online health company. Somewhere between April 2018 and the time this investigation became public, Redwood took RengaLife's website offline—a move that typically signals trouble ahead for companies under federal scrutiny.

The company's foot-dragging in responding to the FTC's demands suggested either incompetence or an attempt to buy time. Either way, regulators now have the ammunition they need to determine whether Redwood misled consumers about its products' efficacy or made unsubstantiated health claims.

Additional reporting later revealed the scope of the FTC's concerns: the agency filed a consumer fraud lawsuit against Redwood Scientific Technologies and individuals named the Cardiffs, suggesting the investigation uncovered serious violations worth pursuing in court. The full details of that action came to light in mid-November 2018.

🤖 Quick Answer

What was the FTC's investigation into Redwood Scientific Technologies about?

Why did Redwood Scientific Technologies delay complying with the FTC's demands?
Redwood Scientific Technologies missed multiple production deadlines beginning in August 2017, stalling compliance with the Civil Investigation Demand for over a year. The company continued missing deadlines throughout 2018 until judicial intervention prompted compliance in late September.

How did the court intervene in Redwood's non-compliance?
After the FTC escalated the matter to court due to persistent deadline violations, a judge scheduled a status conference to compel compliance. This judicial pressure proved effective, as Redwood's attorneys began serious compliance

🔗 Related Articles

- MOBE Receiver seeks to return $15.2M to FTC for distribution
- Neora pushes for renewed settlement discussions after AMG
- Empower Network blog is 67% affiliates, 33% retail
- Alex Morton denies knowledge of Vemma FTC bust
- Alex Morton’s Jeunesse – where is the retail?