PART 2
WWF Steroid Trial
JULY 7, 1994:
The start time was delayed from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. because of O’Shea was ill. At 12:30, after a discussion over whether Dr. Wadler should be allowed to testify, the judge ruled he would be allowed. Dr. Zahorian then took the stand and remained on the stand, except for one brief interruption on Friday, through noon on Monday.
Dr. George Zahorian. On direct examination from O’Shea, Zahorian said no promises were made in exchange for his testimony. After going over his background, Zahorian said he sold anabolic steroids, Valium, Tylenol 3 and 4 and Halcyon to wrestlers from 1981-’82 to 1989. He said 98 yo 99 percent of his customers were WWF wrestlers. He said he got some of his steroids from the Rugby-Darby Pharmaceudical company in Long Island. All he had to do was send in his DEA license and apply the first time, and from then on could order anything he wanted via an 800 number. He said he gave wrestlers whatever they wanted, but rarely were WWF officials watching when he did so. He said state athletic commissioners were sometimes in the area. He said he was not acting properly as a physician. He said he did not do follow-up examinations. He said giving steroids to wrestlers was “against my ethics and I was wrong.” He said it was improper to let patients decide what they wanted. He said the cash and carry method was wrong. He said sending steroids via Federal Express was wrong. He admitted he let the customers decided what drugs he gave them.
He said he dispensed steroids to road agents, specifically Arnold Skaaland for his son George Skaaland in 1983-’84 and to Chief Jay Strongbow for his son. He said in 1985, Patterson asked if he was distributing cocaine or heroine to wrestlers. He said he told Patterson he was only giving them steroids, Valium, and Tylenol 3 and 4. He said he talked with Vince McMahon in Hershey, Pa. in early 1988. He said he was summoned by Patterson at the arena and that McMahon wanted to see him. “McMahon asked if I was giving the wrestlers steroids,” said Zahorian. “I said I was, but it was better they got pharmaceutical grade steroids than black market drugs from people they didn’t know. I told him if he wanted me to stop, I would, but that wrestlers might end up getting tainted drugs and they could get sick and die. He said, ‘Okay, don’t stop what you’re doing.”‘
He said he spoke with McMahon another time and McMahon suggested he send a cycle of anabolic steroids to his office in care of Emily Feinberg. He said he had four or five conversations with Feinberg related to McMahon’s steroids. He said he did not have a legitimate doctor-patient relationship with McMahon. He said Feinberg would tell him she wanted a certain amount of medicine and mention either Mr. Bollea or Mr. McMahon. “With her calls, amounts varied. Orders placed could have been 7 or 8 cycles sent to Titan Sports. Cycles could last six weeks to three months depending on how much the individual was taking.”
Zahorian said in 1989 when his presence was no longer mandatory at Hershey events, Patterson called him and said, “We’d like to see you at our events.” He said Skaaland also called him about staying behind the scenes. He said after the law changed, he showed up behind the scenes at a WWF card and it appeared to him Skaaland and Patterson were happy he was there.
He said later in 1989 he received a message to call Patterson. When he called Patterson back, Patterson told him to call back on a pay phone. “He told me there was an investigation going on that concerned Titan Sports.” Because of the investigation, he said Patterson told him he and McMahon wanted him to destroy all information of phone numbers and information on wrestlers. “He said it may be something minor, but I should be careful. He said after this was over we could meet and continue with our relationship.” Zahorian said he took all records for wrestlers and put them in a storage area in the basement of his office building and eventually brought them to his lawyer’s office for protective custody. O’Shea presented a blown up photo of Zahorian with Hogan and McMahon taken in Hershey.
On cross-examination from McDevitt, Zahorian said he didn’t perjure himself in front of the grand jury even though his story changed from his Apr. 8, 1993 appearance to his Apr. 15, 1993 appearance. He said he was scared on Apr. 8 and didn’t know why he was being questioned. By Apr. 15, he was able to think clearly. “It takes a certain amount of time and orientation to recall things.” The judge sternly interrupted McDevitt and instructed the jury that perjury is knowingly and intentionally making a false statement under oath. McDevitt established that Zahorian was granted immunity from prosecution as long as he didn’t lie or perjure himself. McDevitt established that Zahorian asked O’Shea to write a recommendation letter to a cadre work program in Philadelphia. O’Shea wrote a letter, but Zahorian was still not accepted.
McDevitt tried to establish that Zahorian was treated poorly before he gave his grand jury testimony and better after he told the government what they wanted to hear. McDevitt began fishing for signs of improper action by the government by questioning the prep work Zahorian engaged in with the government, but McDevitt came up empty.
McDevitt tried to characterize a portion of Zahorian’s grand jury testimony as perjury (he said never started anyone on steroids, but later realized Bill Dunn, who he sold steroids to, said he was going to distribute steroids to new people). As McDevitt pressed on, fishing for an indication the government warned Zahorian about his contradiction, the judge angrily interrupted and reiterated to the jury that a statement made under oath that is not knowingly and intentionally false is not perjury. Vince McMahon, looking on, appeared shocked at the vociferousness of the judge’s statement.
Zahorian said he received a call once from Hogan during the filming of “No Holds Barred” and he said Zeus needed three or four bottles of testosterone. “Hogan asked if I’d send the package to Vince.
