A Massachusetts woman has been accused of pocketing $1 million by administering ‘potentially life-threatening’ phony filler injections while posing as a nurse.
The disgraced glamourous aesthetician Rebecca Fadanelli, 38, of Stoughton, who owns two spas in South Easton and Randolph, allegedly began offering illegal services in March 2021 after smuggling counterfeit drugs into the US.
Since then she has ‘completed approximately 1,631 Botox appointments, totaling $522,869 in client payments, and 1,085 filler appointments, totaling $410,545 in client payments,’ federal prosecutors said.
Fadanelli was arrested on Friday for illegally smuggling goods into the US, sale or dispensing a counterfeit drug and sale or dispensing of a counterfeit device.
Rebecca Fadanelli, 38, of Stoughton, was arrested on Friday for illegally smuggling goods into the US, sale or dispensing a counterfeit drug and sale or dispensing of a counterfeit device
The glamourous aesthetician, who owns two spas in South Easton and Randolph, also posed herself as nurse to her clients when she collected just shy of $1 million for her alleged illegal services. Pictured: Inside of Fadanelli’s Skin Beaute Med Spa
Fadanelli was not licensed or certified when she administered thousands of illegal counterfeit Botox, Sculptra, and Juvederm injections that she imported from China and Brazil, prosecutors revealed.
The spa owner is also accused of purchasing vials of Botox for $50 from Alibaba – a Chinese-owned online marketplace. This is far lower than the market price tag of $650.
The accusations came after one of Fadanelli’s clients tipped off investigators when she suffered an adverse lip filler reaction in 2022, which included bumps in her lips and tingling.
The client, who remains unidentified, alleged that she never received a copy of the prescription for the substance injected despite asking for it.
Agents later discovered that Homeland Security Investigations were also actively pursuing a case against the 38-year-old.
Customs and Border Control had seized international parcels shipped to the ‘nurse’ amid suspicion the packages contained illegal prescription drugs.
Investigators also said Fadanelli was caught returning from Brazil with illegal injectables at Massachusetts-based Logan Airport.
They then reportedly searched the beautician’s spas where they uncovered the fake cosmetics.
‘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 United States Attorney Joshua Levy said in a press release.
‘The type of deception alleged here is illegal, reckless and potentially life-threatening.’
The accusations came after one of Fadanelli’s clients tipped off investigators following an adverse reaction which included bumps in her lips and tingling after she received a lip filler injection from disgraced beautician in 2022.
Fadanelli was not licensed or certified when she gave thousands of illegal counterfeit Botox, Sculptra, and Juvederm injections which she imported from China and Brazil, prosecutors revealed
The spa owner also faces up to 10 years in prison and another fine of $250,000 for charges of knowingly selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug or device. Pictured: Inside Fadnelli’s Skin Beaute Med Spa
Fadanelli allegedly later admitted to the Feds that she did purchase the injectable drugs from the Chinese supplier and did not know if they were FDA-approved.
She did not enter a plea when she appeared in court on Friday.
She faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the charge of importing merchandise contrary to the law.
The spa owner faces up to an additional 10 years in prison and another fine of $250,000 for charges of knowingly selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug or device.
