History of Victor Conte in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: November 4, 2025

Victor Conte Jr. is best known as the founder of BALCO, a sports nutrition center that became infamous for its role in a major sports doping scandal. Before BALCO, Conte was a musician, playing bass for the funk/R&B group Tower of Power in the late 1970s. However, it was his involvement in providing performance-enhancing drugs to elite athletes that brought him notoriety, leading to investigations and legal repercussions that significantly impacted the world of professional sports.

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Full Timeline

January 10, 1950: Victor Conte Jr. Born

Victor Conte Jr. was born on January 10, 1950. He would later found BALCO.

Others born on this day/year

1969: Dropped Out of College

In 1969, Victor Conte Jr. dropped out of Fresno City College after being convinced by his cousin, Bruce Conte, to join the band Common Ground as its bass player.

1970: Joined Pure Food and Drug Act

In 1970, Victor Conte Jr. quit playing in Common Ground and joined the band Pure Food and Drug Act.

1977: Joined Tower of Power

In 1977, Victor Conte became a member of Tower of Power.

1978: Release of "We Came to Play!"

In 1978, Victor Conte Jr. played bass with funk/R&B group Tower of Power and appeared on the band's release, We Came to Play!.

1979: Left Tower of Power

Victor Conte was a member of Tower of Power until 1979 playing bass guitar.

1984: Founded BALCO

In 1984, Victor Conte founded the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), a sports nutrition center initially located in Millbrae, California.

December 2004: Interview on ABC's 20/20

In December 2004, Victor Conte admitted to running doping programs and implicated several athletes, including Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery, and Bill Romanowski, during an interview with Martin Bashir on ABC's 20/20.

July 2005: Guilty Plea in Steroid Conspiracy

In July 2005, Victor Conte entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to distribute steroids and a second count of laundering a portion of a check.

2005: Prison Sentence

In 2005, Victor Conte served time in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering.

December 21, 2006: Yahoo Sports Report on Troy Ellerman

On December 21, 2006, Yahoo Sports reported that Troy Ellerman, one of Victor Conte's initial defense lawyers, was targeted by the FBI as a possible source of leaks to the media during the Barry Bonds probe.

2006: Publication of "Game of Shadows"

In 2006, "Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports" was published. It related to the BALCO case.

February 14, 2007: Ellerman Pleaded Guilty

On February 14, 2007, Troy Ellerman pleaded guilty to leaking grand jury testimony in the Barry Bonds probe.

May 2007: Supplements for Dwain Chambers

In May 2007, Victor Conte claimed to be again providing supplements for Dwain Chambers through his company Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning (SNAC).

December 13, 2007: Appearance on CNN

On December 13, 2007, Victor Conte appeared on CNN before The Mitchell Report was officially released.

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2008: Dwain Chambers returned to athletics

In 2008, Dwain Chambers returned to athletics.

2008: Wrote "BALCO: The Straight Dope"

In 2008, Victor Conte wrote a book titled "BALCO: The Straight Dope on Barry Bonds, Marion and What We Can Do to Save Sports" with Nathan Jendrick.

2017: Unpublished Manuscript Available

As of 2017, Victor Conte's book "BALCO: The Straight Dope on Barry Bonds, Marion and What We Can Do to Save Sports" remained officially unpublished, but the manuscript was made available.