Med Spa Owner Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Performing Thousands of Counterfeit Botox and Filler Injections

BOSTON - A Massachusetts woman has been sentenced in federal court in Boston to nearly four years in prison for performing thousands of cosmetic injection procedures using counterfeit Botox and dermal fillers imported from China and Brazil. The defendant, who was not licensed to perform injections and falsely represented herself as a nurse, received more than $1 million in payments from more than 900 clients for these procedures. Defendant owned and operated Skin Beaute Med Spa, with locations in Randolph and South Easton, Mass.

Rebecca Fadanelli, 40, of Stoughton, Mass. was sentenced on Sept. 2, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 46 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Fadanelli was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture each in the amount of $1,001,562. In April 2026, Fadanelli pleaded guilty to four counts of importing merchandise contrary to law, two counts of selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug and two counts of selling or dispensing a counterfeit device. She was arrested and charged in November 2024.

"This was not a mistake or a one-time lapse in judgment. Rebecca Fadanelli built a business on deception and repeatedly put profit ahead of the health and safety of the people who trusted her," said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. "She lied about being a nurse, injected counterfeit products into hundreds of clients even after federal authorities seized her shipments, searched her businesses and ultimately arrested her. Her victims were left with infections, facial paralysis, vision problems, scars and the lasting fear of not knowing what was injected into their bodies. As cosmetic injections and med spas continue to grow in popularity, this case underscores a serious and growing public health threat: counterfeit products and unlicensed providers can cause devastating harm. Those who knowingly put consumers at risk for profit will be held accountable."

"FDA requirements are designed to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of drugs and devices distributed to American consumers. Administering counterfeit products for profit puts consumers at serious risk," said Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. "Today's sentencing demonstrates that the FDA will continue to hold accountable those who endanger public health."

Beginning in at least March 2021, Fadanelli owned and operated Skin Beaute Med Spa, with locations in Randolph and South Easton, Mass. Although Fadanelli was an aesthetician who was never licensed to perform injections or otherwise dispense or administer prescription drugs or devices, she offered botulinum toxin and dermal filler injections to clients and falsely represented to clients and employees that she was a licensed nurse. Fadanelli also misrepresented the identity and safety of the substances she was injecting, telling clients that she was using authentic Botox and FDA-approved dermal fillers such as Sculptra, Restylane and Juvéderm. In reality she was using counterfeit versions of these products, many of which she imported from China and Brazil. There is no record that Fadanelli ever purchased authentic prescription drugs or devices directly from the manufacturers of those FDA-approved products.

Business records show that between approximately March 2021 and June 2024 alone, Fadanelli performed more than 2,700 botulinum toxin and dermal filler injection procedures using counterfeit prescription drugs and devices. More than 900 clients paid a combined total of more than $1 million for the procedures.

Fadanelli continued operating her med spa illegally despite repeated warnings and law enforcement intervention. After federal authorities began seizing international shipments of counterfeit prescription drugs and devices addressed to Fadanelli's home and business - and notified her that the products were misbranded and unapproved - Fadanelli took steps to conceal her continuing activity. Among other things, she directed suppliers to use different delivery addresses and other individuals' names as recipients in an effort to avoid additional seizures.

On June 28, 2024, during searches at both Skin Beaute locations, products labeled as Botox, Sculptra, Restylane and Juvéderm that the product manufacturers subsequently identified as counterfeit, were recovered. Bacteriostatic water, used to dilute Botox that laboratory testing found contained methylobacterium, a bacteria that can cause infection, was also found.

Fadanelli continued offering and performing injection procedures until her arrest on Nov. 1, 2024. However, in May 2025 while on pretrial release following her arrest, Fadanelli performed an injection procedure at her home using an unknown substance that the client reportedly believed to be Sculptra. Her pretrial release was later revoked, and she has remained in custody since November 2025.

Numerous clients suffered adverse health effects as a result of injections performed by Fadanelli, including severe swelling, infections, drooping or paralysis of the face and eyes, double vision, impaired eyesight and hard lumps or nodules. Multiple clients were hospitalized, and many required follow-up treatment from licensed medical professionals.

For example, one client spent weeks hospitalized after developing severe facial swelling, headaches, weakness and fever-like symptoms following botulinum toxin injections. Another victim was hospitalized for four days after experiencing facial drooping and paralysis, double vision and headaches; another client suffered impaired vision for approximately three months; and a separate client ultimately underwent corrective surgery to remove a hard lump beneath her skin and was left with scarring.

When clients reported adverse reactions, Fadanelli often dismissed their concerns or provided misleading assurances, in some cases falsely claiming that she had used authentic FDA-approved products for the clients' injection procedures. Fadanelli told some of these clients to return to Skin Beaute for additional treatments.

U.S. Attorney Foley, FDA-CI SAC McMillan; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The Medicaid Fraud Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and the Stoughton and Randolph Police Departments also provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Sarah Hoefle of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.