Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
Rebecca Fadanelli, a Stoughton resident and owner of Skin Beaute Med Spa, pleaded guilty on Mar. 23 in federal court in Boston to charges related to performing thousands of injections with counterfeit Botox and dermal fillers imported from China and Brazil. Authorities said Fadanelli was not licensed to perform these procedures but received over $1 million in client payments.
The case highlights concerns about patient safety and the risks posed by unlicensed individuals administering prescription drugs or devices. According to charging documents, Fadanelli began importing counterfeit Botox, Sculptra, and Juvéderm as early as March 2021. She operated med spa locations in Randolph and South Easton, Massachusetts, where she performed the unauthorized injections.
Prosecutors said Fadanelli falsely claimed to clients and employees that she was a nurse; however, she is an aesthetician without any license to administer such treatments. She 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. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for July 1.
The charge of importing merchandise contrary to law carries up to 20 years in prison, three years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The other charges each carry up to 10 years in prison along with similar fines and supervised release terms. Sentences will be determined by the judge based on federal guidelines.
Authorities urge anyone who believes they may have received services involving counterfeit drugs or devices from Fadanelli or Skin Beaute Med Spa between 2021 and 2025 to complete a questionnaire available on the FDA’s website at https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/criminal-investigations/oci-vw-assistanceLinks . Information about the status of the case can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-rebecca-fadanelli .
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the plea alongside officials from the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Boston Field Office.
