Doctor Charged in Death of Bodybuilder Who Competed at 2007 Arnold

A bodybuilder who died after becoming ill at the Arnold Sports Festival in 2007 was among the clients of a doctor indicted in New York on charges of illegally selling steroids.

Dr. Richard Lucente of Staten Island was charged last week with 76 counts of criminal sale of a prescription for a controlled substance to more than 200 clients from 2005 to 2007. That included 27 counts involving bodybuilder Joseph Baglio, who died of heart failure at Ohio State University Medical Center.

Lucente also was charged with reckless endangerment for providing Baglio with steroids, testosterone and growth hormone even though he knew that Baglio had a heart transplant in 2004 because of previous steroid use, prosecutors said.

Lucente pleaded not guilty and was released on $20,000 bail.

Defense attorney John Meringolo said there was no proof that Lucente did anything that contributed to Baglio's death.

Jim Lorimer, a partner in the festival with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said Baglio was not a competitor at the festival. Baglio was working in a booth for the company MET-Rx, which sells health foods and supplements, according to its Web site.

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Doctor charged in death of bodybuilder who competed at Arnold

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