SEATTLE -
A trio of Seattle area salon workers is locked up for practicing bad beauty. Federal Prosecutors say one was injecting her patients with counterfeit Botox. The other pair tried bribing an FDA Officer to smuggle an illegal laser device into the U.S.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Dimke says at the Natural Beauty Salon in Bellevue, 46 year old Xin "Faith" He was injecting clients with fake Botox and Restylane.
"Miss He informed her clients that these were FDA approved substances when in fact they were not," said Dimke.
A Federal Grand Jury indicted her because Prosecutors say she is not licensed as a medical doctor. Court papers show Faith He gave bad Botox to a Snohomish woman in 2004. Two years later the Washington State Department Of Health slapped her with a cease and desist order. But, in April of last year the Feds say she did it again.
According to the Federal Indictment, one of Faith He's clients from Bothell was so badly injured by the bogus Botox she received at Natural Beauty she had to go to a plastic surgeon because her face had became hard and swollen.
At Cosmetic Surgery & Dermatology Of Issaquah, Doctor Victor Michalak uses FDA approved Botox and Restylane. He says taking a chance on someone that doesn't know what they're doing could have lethal consequences.
"For example, commercial strength not intended to be injected into humans for medical purposes, they could die from that, they could actually develop actual botulism," said Michalak.
Medical professionals say make sure who is giving you Botox is licensed to do so, and confirm what they are putting in you is approved by the Food And Drug Administration.
Patient Carolyn O'Brien did her homework.
"Someone that you know that's had a lot of experience administering it, they know when to apply it," said O'Brien.
Federal prosecutors say at Crystal Nails in Burien it wasn't bogus Botox but a bribe that landed operators 51 year old Toan Le and 41 year old Hang Ho in hot water with the Feds. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Dimke says the pair gave an FDA Consumer Safety Officer $800 to allow them to import a laser.
"Devices used in facials which emit radiation and the radiation is not authorized by the FDA," said Dimke.
Xin "Faith" He is facing up to 3 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Toan Le and Hang Ho are looking at up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Dimke says at the Natural Beauty Salon in Bellevue, 46 year old Xin "Faith" He was injecting clients with fake Botox and Restylane.
"Miss He informed her clients that these were FDA approved substances when in fact they were not," said Dimke.
A Federal Grand Jury indicted her because Prosecutors say she is not licensed as a medical doctor. Court papers show Faith He gave bad Botox to a Snohomish woman in 2004. Two years later the Washington State Department Of Health slapped her with a cease and desist order. But, in April of last year the Feds say she did it again.
According to the Federal Indictment, one of Faith He's clients from Bothell was so badly injured by the bogus Botox she received at Natural Beauty she had to go to a plastic surgeon because her face had became hard and swollen.
At Cosmetic Surgery & Dermatology Of Issaquah, Doctor Victor Michalak uses FDA approved Botox and Restylane. He says taking a chance on someone that doesn't know what they're doing could have lethal consequences.
"For example, commercial strength not intended to be injected into humans for medical purposes, they could die from that, they could actually develop actual botulism," said Michalak.
Medical professionals say make sure who is giving you Botox is licensed to do so, and confirm what they are putting in you is approved by the Food And Drug Administration.
Patient Carolyn O'Brien did her homework.
"Someone that you know that's had a lot of experience administering it, they know when to apply it," said O'Brien.
Federal prosecutors say at Crystal Nails in Burien it wasn't bogus Botox but a bribe that landed operators 51 year old Toan Le and 41 year old Hang Ho in hot water with the Feds. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Dimke says the pair gave an FDA Consumer Safety Officer $800 to allow them to import a laser.
"Devices used in facials which emit radiation and the radiation is not authorized by the FDA," said Dimke.
Xin "Faith" He is facing up to 3 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Toan Le and Hang Ho are looking at up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
