The wrestling conglomerate based in Stamford announced that it will suspend 10 of its biggest stars for violation of its wellness policy.
In a list obtained exclusively by the Daily News, top wrestlers Randy Orton, Charles Haas, Jr., Adam "Edge" Copeland, Robert "Booker T" Huffman, Shane Helms, Mike Bucci, Anthony Carelli, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, Darren "William Regal" Matthews, Ken "Mr. Kennedy" Anderson, Eddie "Umaga" Fatu, Shoichi Funaki and Chavo Guerrero were all identified as clients of Signature Pharmacy in Orlando, the site raided by Albany County and Florida law enforcement agencies in February for distributing steroids and other prescription drugs to clients who had not been examined by doctors. The investigation is part of a probe into illegal Internet drug distribution by Albany D.A. David Soares.
It is unclear at this time which of these wrestlers will be suspended by the WWE.
The WWE said in a statement that it issued suspension notices based on independent information received from the Albany D.A.
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WWE did not release the names of those suspended. A source close to the investigation said that WWE was told that the following wrestlers were among the clients of one of the pharmacies under investigation, Signature of Orlando: Shoichi Funaki, Dave Bautista, Adam "Edge" Copeland, Chris "Masters" Mordetsky, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, and Shane Helms. Chris Benoit, the wrestler who killed his wife and son before hanging himself in June, was also a Signature client, as were two other wrestlers who recently died, Eddie Guerrero and Brian "Crush" Adams.
The Albany district attorney's office is examining online prescription mills where doctors get paid as little as $25 to issue online prescriptions, which in turn are filled by friendly pharmacies. In addition to Signature, its investigators raided pharmacies in Mobile, Ala. and Bay Ridge, N.Y.
Among those who have pleaded guilty are a Florida doctor named Claire Godfrey, who has admitted to prescribing performance-enhancing drugs at least two WWE wrestlers. In exchange for a plea that will keep her out of prison, she is cooperating with prosecutors.
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