A New York beautician was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly buying fakes Botox from China and injecting patients without the required license, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York reported.
Joey Grant Luther, 54, was charged with wire fraud, smuggling and other crimes in connection with the purchase and importation of misbranded and counterfeit drugs at his medical spa, JGL Aesthetics, located in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. None of the Botox was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, prosecutors said.
“As alleged, Joey Grant Luther, who does not have a license required by New York State to administer Botox injections, purchased counterfeit Botox from China, injected it into his clients and passed off the fake Botox as real,” said Danielle Sassoon of the US. the lawyers statement.
Package Contents – Including the outside of fake Botox cartons, seized by US Customs and Border Patrol between April 2023 and January 2024.
DOJ Southern District of New York
Luther continued to buy and inject fake Botox, despite knowing that customers had become ill or had strange symptoms, Sassoon said. He allegedly reassured his patients that the side effects were temporary and that the Botox was from Allergan, the real maker, according to prosecutors.
“Luther’s disregard for the health of his clients harmed all of his victims and, in some cases, resulted in life-threatening injuries,” Sassoon said.
According to the criminal complaint, an investigation began after a Luther patient reported experiencing double vision, heart palpitations, weakness from the waist up and other problems after receiving Botox injections at JGL Aesthetics. The victim visited three hospitals for treatment of symptoms and was diagnosed with botulism toxin in March 2024, prosecutors said.
Customs and Border Protection intercepted packages destined for JGL Aesthetics that found one containing “large quantities of counterfeit drugs, including fake Botox,” according to prosecutors.
Luther was scheduled to be arraigned late Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
It is not clear whether Luther has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Case The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the FDA, opened an investigation last year after 19 people in nine states experienced negative side effects after receiving bogus Botox injections.
