The owner of a now closed Milton spa today agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or deceive after at least ten of his customers developed botulism from Botox injections he was not licensed to give, using off-brand drugs he bought online.
Rodrigo de Medeiros Siqueira, 33, faces a potential prison sentence of up to three years, although in a plea deal, federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a lesser sentence in exchange for his guilty plea. De Medeiros Siqueira in turn agreed to pay restitution of at least $435,425 - the amount prosecutors say he made from injecting customers with substances aimed at reducing wrinkles since…
The owner of a now closed Milton spa today agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or deceive after at least ten of his customers developed botulism from Botox injections he was not licensed to give, using off-brand drugs he bought online.
Rodrigo de Medeiros Siqueira, 33, faces a potential prison sentence of up to three years, although in a plea deal, federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a lesser sentence in exchange for his guilty plea. De Medeiros Siqueira in turn agreed to pay restitution of at least $435,425 - the amount prosecutors say he made from injecting customers with substances aimed at reducing wrinkles since 2022 - and six months of probation. He also faces potential deportation to his native Brazil.
In June, the state Department of Public Health reported "a growing cluster of botulism cases linked to cosmetic botulinum toxin (commonly referred to as ‘Botox’) injections administered at Rodrigo Beauty, located at 464 Granite Ave. in Milton, Massachusetts."
According to an affidavit by an FDA agent who began investigating after learning of the state report, ten customers became sick from injections at the spa in May - and several wound up in the ICU. The affidavit describes several specific cases, including:
Approximately an hour after the injection procedure, Client 2 called MEDEIROS SIQUEIRA because she was experiencing stinging pain at the injection sites. MEDEIROS SIQUEIRA told her that the stinging was due to the strength of the botulinum toxin used.
Client 2 later experienced blurry vision and reported this to MEDEIROS SIQUEIRA, who attributed it to Client 2 having consumed alcohol after her appointment.
A few days later, Client 2 returned to Rodrigo Beauty because she continued to experience blurry vision. MEDEIROS SIQUEIRA gave Client 2 a "cold face" treatment in an attempt to treat the blurry vision. The treatment did not relieve Client 2’s symptoms, which worsened over the next several days.
Client 2 made two trips to the hospital. The first time, she reported having a headache, blurry vision, and heaviness in her forehead (one of the injection sites).
The second time, Client 2 reported experiencing dizziness (the "spins") and difficulty moving and swallowing. The hospital immediately transferred Client 2 to 13 the ICU. After the medical staff determined that Client 2 had botulism, she received an anti-toxin treatment. A doctor later told Client 2 that she could have died.
A date for sentencing has yet to be set.