Back to All NewsCoast-to-Coast Med Spa Illegal Activity Leads to Arrests
Posted By American Med Spa Association, Wednesday, August 2, 2017
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Troubling news for medical spa professionals has surfaced today, as multiple arrests have taken place for the unauthorized practice of medicine.
In Tampa, FL two people have been arrested after performing liposuction without a license, causing complications that left at least some patients permanently disfigured, authorities said.
Neither of the defendants were licensed to operate in Florida and were not authorized to perform the procedure.
The arrests are the result of an 18-month investigation launched after patients complained to authorities about their surgery results. The patients paid as much as $5,500 for a form of liposuction. They endured pain and in some cases infection, leading them to seek treatment at local hospitals.
In another case, a med spa owner and an employee in Orange County, CA have been charged with receiving stolen property and unauthorized practice of medicine, with convictions on those felonies punishable by up to three years and eight months in state prison.
The defendants had stolen three laser machines worth $120,000 and also falsely identified themselves as licensed nurses.
AmSpa Director and Founder, Alex Thiersch explains, “It’s a very unfortunate situation for everyone involved. The more bad actors that pop up across the country the more regulators and patients will be suspicious of the industry – even though the majority are doing their best to be safe and compliant.”
The American Med Spa Association was founded by Thiersch to be a legal compliance resource for the medical spa industry. AmSpa members have access to their state’s legal summary to understand the rules and regulations affecting their practice. You can become a member here.
In Tampa, FL two people have been arrested after performing liposuction without a license, causing complications that left at least some patients permanently disfigured, authorities said.
Neither of the defendants were licensed to operate in Florida and were not authorized to perform the procedure.
The arrests are the result of an 18-month investigation launched after patients complained to authorities about their surgery results. The patients paid as much as $5,500 for a form of liposuction. They endured pain and in some cases infection, leading them to seek treatment at local hospitals.
In another case, a med spa owner and an employee in Orange County, CA have been charged with receiving stolen property and unauthorized practice of medicine, with convictions on those felonies punishable by up to three years and eight months in state prison.
The defendants had stolen three laser machines worth $120,000 and also falsely identified themselves as licensed nurses.
AmSpa Director and Founder, Alex Thiersch explains, “It’s a very unfortunate situation for everyone involved. The more bad actors that pop up across the country the more regulators and patients will be suspicious of the industry – even though the majority are doing their best to be safe and compliant.”
The American Med Spa Association was founded by Thiersch to be a legal compliance resource for the medical spa industry. AmSpa members have access to their state’s legal summary to understand the rules and regulations affecting their practice. You can become a member here.
