Woman accused of giving thousands of illegal, fake Botox and filler injections

BOSTON (WBZ) – A Massachusetts woman is accused of performing thousands of illegal counterfeit Botox and filler injections over the past three years.

Rebecca Fadanelli, 38, was arrested Friday morning and appeared in court in Worcester.

Fadanelli presented herself as a nurse for her clients at Skin Beaute Med Spa.

However, the FBI said the esthetician had not been licensed or certified since March 2021 when she gave thousands of illegal counterfeit Botox, Sculptra and Juvederm injections that she imported from China and Brazil.

Prosecutors say clients paid her more than $900,000.

According to the charging documents, FDA investigators were tipped off by a client who had a bad reaction with bumps in her lips and tingling after Fadanelli injected her with lip filler in 2022.

The client never received a copy of the prescription for the substance injected into her, despite her requesting it.

Agents then discovered that Homeland Security Investigations was investigating Fadanelli.

Customs and Border Patrol had seized international packages shipped to her because they suspected the packages contained illegal prescription drugs.

Agents say Fadanelli was also caught at Logan Airport returning from Brazil with illegal injectables.

When the FBI searched the spas in Randolph, Massachusetts and South Easton, Massachusetts, they said they found the fake cosmetics.

Fadanelli later admitted to the FBI that she purchased the injectable drugs from a Chinese supplier through Alibaba but did not know whether they were FDA approved.

Fadanelli did not enter a plea in court Friday.

She faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine for the charge of importing goods in violation of the law.

She also faces up to 10 years in prison and an additional $250,000 fine on charges of knowingly selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug or device.