STOUGHTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A spa owner from Stoughton was arrested Friday for allegedly performing thousands of illegal injections of counterfeit Botox and fillers, officials said.
Rebecca Fadanelli, 38, the owner of Skin Beaute Med Spa, is accused of importing counterfeit Botox, Sculptra, and Juvederm from China and Brazil since March 2021, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Fadanelli, who is an aesthetician and not a licensed nurse, allegedly received over $900,000 in client payments for the counterfeit drug injections at the spa’s Randolph and South Easton locations, the office said in a statement.
One of her clients reported her to the Federal Drug Administration, sparking an investigation.
According to court documents, a search of Fadanelli’s devices found communications with customers.
The documents said that “… one client complained about ‘droopy eyes,’ while another complained about ‘little balls’ developing in her lips. Another client… sent Fadanelli a message complaining that she had a hard ‘lump’ under her eye and that her eyes appeared to be ‘sunken in’ as a result of the procedure.”
From March 2021 through March of this year, Fadanelli carried out about 1,631 Botox appointments, totaling $522,869 in client payments, and 1,085 filler appointments, totaling $410,545, according to payment records.
“For years, Ms. Fadanelli allegedly put unsuspecting patients at risk by representing herself to be a nurse and then administering thousands of illegal, counterfeit injections,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in a statement.
“Protecting the people of Massachusetts covers a wide range of conduct and here it involves an individual who ignored safety regulations against bringing unapproved, counterfeit drugs and devices into our country and endangered the health of hundreds of her clients,” he continued. “The type of deception alleged here is illegal, reckless and potentially life-threatening.”
She is charged with illegally importing merchandise contrary to law, selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug, and selling or dispensing a counterfeit device.
Fadanelli appeared in federal court in Worcester Friday afternoon. She was released and ordered not to use any of the injectables and only to perform procedures that are within her license.
One of her friends was present to support her, calling Fadanelli a “very good person” outside of the courthouse. Fadanelli herself declined to speak after the hearing.
Those who believe they may have received counterfeit injections or drugs from Fadanelli or Skin Beaute Med Spa after March 2021 are asked to complete this questionnaire on the FDA’s website.
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