In this episode, retired agent Bryan Travers reviews his investigation of Alfred Scarpa, for illegally selling anabolic steroids, which he manufactured and stored in the basement of his residence. The case was part of Operation Raw Deal, a nationwide DEA led investigation and take-down of individuals illegally manufacturing and trafficking anabolic steroids and its raw materials, mainly from China, along with the human growth hormone (HGH) and the insulin growth factor (IGF).
Scarpa was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to 33 months in federal prison. The entire international Operation Raw Deal investigation resulted in more than 124 arrests in the United States on federal charges.
Special Agent (Retired)
Bryan Lee Travers
9/1999 – 11/2024
Bryan Lee Travers served in the FBI for 25 years, five as a member of the professional support staff and twenty as a special agent.
His first assignment was in the Latent Print Unit of the FBI Laboratory. Bryan received certification as an FBI Physical Scientist – Latent Print Examiner one month before the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
He volunteered to be on the first shift of laboratory examiners receiving evidence collected from the three crash sites. He recalls a surreal moment when he held the burned passport of one of the hijackers in one hand while holding the wallet photographs of a victim in the other. A few months later, he was dispatched to the NYC morgue to assist with the identification effort.
Not long after, Bryan joined the FBI Disaster Squad, a humanitarian effort to identify the remains of victims of disasters, both natural and manmade. He worked at Dover AFB Port Mortuary, identifying the remains of armed forces members killed overseas.
During Bryan’s time in the laboratory, he moonlighted at the TV show America’s Most Wanted manning the tipline. He was in the studio during the special 9-11 AMW episode where the hijackers were profiled, throughout the Washington Sniper case, and the Texas Seven prison escape. These were cases that he also working during his day job in the FBI Laboratory.
Bryan was appointed as an agent in 2004. After graduating from the academy, he was assigned to the white-collar squad in the Newark Division, where he worked health care fraud and bank and mortgage fraud. After the success of his anabolic steroids case, he was transferred to a drug squad.
While working drugs, he became the backup media representative for the division. He assumed responsibility for the Newark Division’s commemoration of the100th anniversary of the FBI, which culminated with inviting cast members of the hit HBO show “The Sopranos” to visit the office. Bryan took over the position full time for four years.
After his tenure as the media rep, Bryan returned to investigative casework, working cybercrime and internet fraud for a year before becoming a pilot and joining the Special Operations Group for full-time surveillance operations for the next five years of his career. He’s last assignment, prior to retiring, was in national security, assessing threats from the Chinese Communist Party to U.S. academic institutions, corporations, and infrastructure. Bryan is especially proud of his efforts to mentor young agents. Currently, he is working as a professionally trained actor and voiceover artist.
The following are links to articles about the arrest and sentencing of Alfred Scarpa for his role in the nationwide anabolic steroids investigation, Operation Raw Deal:
DOJ Press Release – 9/24/2007: International Law Enforcement Operation Targets Underground Manufacture of Anabolic Steroids
United States v. Alfred Scarpa – Criminal Information
News On 6 – 9/20/2007: Federal Agents Uncover Suspected Steroid Factory In New Jersey Home
New Jersey.com – 9/9/2008: Sayreville man admits running steroids lab in his basement
FBI Press Release – 1/22/2009: Sayreville Man Gets 33 Months in Prison for Running Steroid Operation Out of Home
New Jersey.com – 1/22/2009: Sayreville man gets federal prison term for illegal steroid lab
To learn about another healthcare fraud case, listen to FBI Retired Case File Review episode 212: Melissa Osborne – Diluted Trust, Chemo Pharmacy Fraud.
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