Major sunscreen fraud exposed

Test reports from the company, AMA Laboratories, have been used by many manufacturers to justify their sun protection claims, even when our independent testing found the products weren’t up to standard.

The fraud went on for 30 years.

Last week, AMA Labs' owner finally admitted cooking up false lab reports and defrauding customers of $63 million.

A statement issued on 4 May 2021 by the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York said AMA Lab owner Gabriel Letizia Jr had “schemed for decades to defraud customers”, causing sunscreens and other products to be sold and marketed on the basis of false test reports.

From 1987 to April 2017, Letizia and senior staff defrauded customers of more than $63 million ($US46m). Letizia is now facing up to seven years in prison.

Four former AMA employees have previously pleaded guilty in connection with the fraud.

We’re calling on any manufacturer that’s relied on reports from AMA Labs to urgently retest. Unless companies have good evidence to substantiate their SPF claims, they need to pull products off the shelf.