Ohio, 10 January (H.S.): Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate vying for Ohio governor, voiced profound concern on Friday, after learning that his family's contracted bodyguard faces federal charges alongside his spouse for trafficking substantial quantities of counterfeit prescription drugs via the U.S. Postal Service.

Justin Salsburey, 43, from Bellefontaine, Ohio, and his wife Ruthann Rankin received indictments late last month for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute narcotics, following the interception of 261 parcels containing fake OxyContin and similar pills delivered to their residence between August 2024 and December 2025.

Salsburey, employed through ARK Protection Group—a private firm retained by the Ramaswamys for personal security—was promptly dismissed from duty upon the allegations surfacing, according to campaign spokesperson Connie Luck.Despite Salsburey passing rigorous pre-employment vetting by the FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center as recently as September 2025, along with a clean drug test record, authorities now hold him in Columbus's Franklin County jail.

Rankin, a former Urbana schoolteacher, has likewise been terminated from her position, with her custody status unconfirmed. Luck affirmed the family's commitment to accountability, stating they take matters of safety seriously and support efforts to hold these individuals accountable if the allegations prove true.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar