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Rodrigo de Medeiros Siqueira, of Rodrigo Beauty, was also not licensed to prescribe drugs or perform injections.
The owner of the Milton medical spa that was linked to at least 14 botulism cases this summer pleaded guilty to injecting clients with unapproved botulinum toxin, federal prosecutors said.
Rodrigo de Medeiros Siqueira, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley’s office said.
Prosecutors allege that Medeiros Siqueira, who owns Rodrigo Beauty, falsely represented to clients that he was a licensed medical professional despite not being licensed to prescribe drugs or perform injections.
In Massachusetts, medical spa procedures, including injections of wrinkle-relaxing botulinum toxins, have to be administered by a health care professional, or under the supervision or direction of one. Aestheticians are not medical professionals.
Medeiros Siqueira also allegedly misrepresented the source of the botulinum toxin products he was injecting into his clients, prosecutors said. Prosecutors allege the unapproved botulinum toxin was from illegitimate sources outside the United States.
In May, prosecutors said numerous clients were diagnosed with botulism, allegedly from the unapproved botulinum toxin that Medeiros Siqueira injected. At the time, the Massachusetts Department of Health reported on the growing cluster of causes on the South Shore. At least 14 cases were under investigation, DPH said in May.
Medeiros Siqueira’s sentencing hearing had not yet been scheduled as of Sunday. Medeiros Siqueira faces up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss of the offences, whichever is greater.
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