Meat distributor ordered to pay $120,500 after violating federal food safety consent decree and inspection requirements

Albany, New York – A federal judge has ordered a New York-based meat distributor and several individuals associated with the company to pay $120,500 in civil penalties after determining they violated a court-approved agreement designed to ensure compliance with federal food safety laws.

The enforcement action, announced by United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton and William Griffin, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), marks another chapter in a case that has stretched back nearly a decade.

According to federal authorities, First Gold Coast Corporation, operating as Gold Coast Trading Company, along with Kwabena Asamoah Adjei, Christopher Ahenkora, and Michael Ahenkora, failed to comply with the terms of a judicial consent decree that required the business to follow federal meat and poultry inspection laws. The court found that the defendants continued selling uninspected and improperly labeled poultry products and also failed to complete mandatory food safety training required under the agreement.

U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos issued the order imposing the financial penalties after concluding that the defendants had breached the amended consent decree entered into only months earlier.

Federal officials emphasized that court orders requiring compliance with food safety regulations are intended to protect consumers and are expected to be followed without exception.

“This Office has no tolerance for parties who continue in their unlawful ways after they commit to come into compliance,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This conduct is all the worse where, as here, it endangers the safety of the food that families put on their tables. The imposed financial penalty should serve as notice to all parties that they must live up to their legal commitments and comply with the law.”

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service echoed those concerns, highlighting the agency’s responsibility to safeguard the nation’s food supply.

“As the USDA agency responsible for ensuring that America’s meat, poultry, and egg products remain the safest in the world, FSIS is committed to taking swift action to protect consumers and carry out our public health mission,” said FSIS Assistant Administrator for the Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit William Griffin. “The work of our inspection personnel and investigators to enforce Federal regulations, along with our partnerships with state and local governments, will continue to ensure the safety of our food supply.”

The legal action centers on requirements established under two key federal laws: the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). Together, these statutes require meat and poultry products sold in commercial markets to undergo federal inspection while also ensuring that products are accurately labeled and properly packaged.

Federal officials say these safeguards are critical for public health because they help ensure food products reaching consumers are safe and wholesome. The inspection and labeling systems also make it easier for public health authorities to identify and trace products if food safety issues arise.

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The government’s involvement with First Gold dates back to October 2015, when federal prosecutors filed a civil lawsuit alleging that the company and its then-owner, Daniel Ahenkora, had violated both federal inspection laws by distributing meat and poultry products that had not received required inspections and were improperly branded.

Following that lawsuit, the court entered a consent decree prohibiting the company and affiliated individuals from continuing such practices. The order required the business to comply with federal food safety laws moving forward.

Years later, the ownership and operation of the business changed hands.

According to court records, around May 2023, Daniel Ahenkora’s sons—Kwabena Asamoah Adjei, Christopher Ahenkora, and Michael Ahenkora—assumed control of the company. In December 2024, they signed an amended consent decree, which was approved by the court on December 3, 2024.

The revised agreement reinforced the company’s obligations under federal law. It specifically barred the defendants from selling, offering for sale, or receiving any uninspected or misbranded meat or poultry products in commerce. It also required each defendant to complete mandatory training covering the requirements of the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.

However, federal authorities say the company failed to meet those obligations.

According to the court’s findings, on or about June 26, 2025, First Gold sold approximately 120 pounds of turkey products to a retailer in New Jersey despite those products not meeting federal inspection requirements after processing.

The shipment included 30 pounds of smoked turkey drums, 30 pounds of smoked turkey wings, 30 pounds of fresh turkey wings, and 30 pounds of fresh turkey drums.

Investigators said the company used a bandsaw inside its store to slice the turkey products without federal inspection. Authorities further alleged that after processing, the products were placed back into the original manufacturer’s boxes displaying official federal inspection marks, creating the appearance that the altered products had maintained their inspected status.

Federal officials stated that this repackaging constituted misbranding and violated the terms of the amended consent decree.

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In addition to the product-related violations, prosecutors said the defendants also ignored another major requirement of the court order by failing to complete the mandatory food safety training designed to improve compliance with federal regulations.

The court’s order, issued on June 26, 2026, breaks the financial penalty into two separate components.

The defendants were ordered to pay $60,000 for the sale of the 120 pounds of uninspected and misbranded turkey products, while another $60,500 was assessed because they failed to complete the required training outlined in the amended consent decree.

Beyond the monetary penalties, the court also directed the defendants to submit a plan explaining how they intend to satisfy the training requirements and achieve compliance with the existing court order.

Federal officials described the ruling as part of a broader effort to ensure businesses handling meat and poultry products follow laws intended to protect consumers and maintain confidence in the nation’s food supply.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office also recognized the investigative efforts that led to the enforcement action, with Jay Clayton praising the work carried out by the USDA.

The case is being handled by the Environmental Protection Unit of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Osmond is leading the government’s case as authorities continue monitoring compliance with the court’s directives.