Joey Grant Luther promised Manhattan Medical Spa Faces customers who were less crumpled, eyes that were youthful and genitals that were larger, all the magic of injectable therapies such as Botox.
Instead, the prosecutors said, many of these clients were left with colds, reduced vision and other diseases, after Mr Luther put them illegally with false drugs.
Mr Luther, 54, was charged Monday with fraud, smuggling and crimes related to the handling of fake drugs, according to prosecutors sent on Wednesday.
In the social media, Mr. Luther and the medical spa who ran, Aesthetic jglIt advertises a life of luxury and wealth. In the spa, Mr. Luther, who is not a doctor and did not have permission to manage Botox, who put in a white laboratory coat alongside attractive new customers.
External workposted photos of the Black-Tie benefits and sunny holiday spots, such as American Ballet Theater GalaFire Island Pines and Miami Beach. They were often without shirtless, waving through a surf crash or lying with age-off men in speedos.
But in his work, prosecutors said Mr Luther put clients in the Manhattan kitchen neighborhood with a fake botox from China.
Mr Luther appeared at the Federal Court in Manhattan after his arrest on Wednesday, but was released on a $ 100,000 loan. Judge Sarah L. Cave also ordered to lose his passport and wear a surveillance bracelet.
During the hearing, prosecutors said Mr Luther continued his illegal activities, even after federal agents searched his home last summer and had a future appointment with scheduled customers.
Mr Luther refused to answer questions from reporters on Wednesday.
In a statement announced the charges, Danielle R. Sassoon, USA lawyer for the southern area of New York, said Mr Luther “knowingly bought the fake Botox from China, injected it to its customers and represented that fake botox that was peddling was genuine. “
“Luther continued to buy and introduce Botox fake even after learning that customers had fallen ill or experienced strange symptoms after Luthher’s infusion,” Ms. Sassoon said. “Luther’s violation of his customers has put all his victims in harm and, in some cases, caused life -threatening injuries.”
The criminal complaint sent on Wednesday described a long list of medical problems experienced by Mr Luther’s clients. At least one person has developed sausages, a potentially deadly disease attacking the nerves of the body.
Others have faced heartbeat, difficulty in swallowing and chewing, speech, the problem raising their hands, double vision and sugar.
The complaint also included documentation showing that Mr Luther knew he received infected products, including the emails described by Botox as “evil”. The records show that American Customs and Border Protection agents occupied missions addressed to Mr Luther in 2023 and 2024.
Mr Luther has offered clients injectable treatments to treat excessive sweat and face wrinkles, as well as reduce wrinkles in the scrotum and increase penis size, according to prosecutors.
But it does not advertise these treatments on the SPA website or on the Instagram page. Instead, he reported them to the iPads who handed over to patients after arriving and ordered his employees not to take photos of him from injections, prosecutors said.
When customers complained to Mr Luther about their health problems, he told them they were experiencing normal side effects, according to messages received by prosecutors. Some of the side effects mentioned to Mr Luther are Posted by Botox Manufacturers as potentially serious side effects that require urgent medical care.
Prosecutors said Mr Luther assured customers that they were given products purchased by Allergan, an American company that manufactures Botox.
But in fact, he bought products from suppliers based in China. Pictures of the missions sent to Mr Luther were included in court documents.
In private messages to suppliers, Mr Luther expressed their concern about the side effects of his clients. And he was angry that his suppliers had sent him “contaminated” medicines, especially after he had ordered thousands and thousands of bottles “from those years.
“You sold me Bad Botox and my clients were in the hospital,” Mr Luther wrote last April to a supplier. “I had to pay their bills and try to save my reputation. Do you know how much money I lost?”
To offset these losses, he asked the supplier to send him another mission if he wanted to keep his business.
“You can send me 41 bottles and I will make another order,” Mr Luther said. “But I will never make another order with you until I get these 41 bottles.”
Prosecutors said Mr Luther continued to give fake treatments until last July, as concern was increasing for the use of fake Botox across the country.
Mr Luther was aware of these concerns. On April 16, one of his clients sent him a message saying they had developed double eyesight after a Botox treatment in Mr Luther’s spa and had gone to the emergency room for MRI brain scanning.
Customer also sent Mr. Luther A CNN report It was published the day before that 19 people in nine states, including New York, had reported harmful reactions after receiving cosmetic injections granted by people without permission, including certain products found to be fake.
Three days later, Mr. Luther replied to his alarming client: “Botox is from Allergan, so I know it’s not a matter. Sorry you are going through it. I know it is disappointing.”
He then sent an angry message to one of his suppliers in China to say “at least 20” his customers had been ill because of the “contaminated” product.
“It’s in the news here,” Luther wrote. “Do you understand what I’m saying? The botox she sent me for February and in March has caused all these side effects for my clients. ”
Hurubie meko They contributed reports.