Joy Grant Luther promised clients at her Manhattan medical spa fewer wrinkles, younger-looking eyes, and larger genitalia, all through the magic of injectable treatments like Botox.
Instead, prosecutors said, many of those clients were left with botulism, vision impairment and other ailments after Mr. Lowther illegally injected them with counterfeit drugs.
Mr. Luther, 54, was charged on Monday with crimes related to wire fraud, trafficking and handling counterfeit drugs, according to a complaint unsealed by prosecutors on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
On social media, Mr. Luther and he ran a medical spa, JGL AestheticsAdvertised a life of luxury and wealth. At the spa, Mr. Luther, who is not a doctor and was not licensed to administer Botox, posed in a white lab coat with attractive young clients.
Outside workhe posted pictures of black-tie benefits and sunny vacation spots, such as American Ballet Theater GalaFire Island Pines and Miami Beach. Often they were shirtless, wading through crashing surf or lounging with age-defying men in Speedos.
But at his day job, prosecutors said, Mr. Luther was injecting fake Botox from China to clients in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood.
In a statement announcing the charges, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Daniel R. Sassoon said Mr. Luther “knowingly purchased counterfeit Botox from China, injected it into his clients, and represented that the counterfeit Botox he was selling was genuine.”
“Luther continued to buy and inject fake Botox even after he learned that clients were getting sick or experiencing strange symptoms after Luther’s injections,” Ms Sassoon said. “Luther’s disregard for the health of his clients harmed all of his victims and, in some cases, caused fatal injuries.”
The criminal complaint, unsealed on Wednesday, outlined a long list of medical problems facing Mr. Luther’s clients. At least one person developed botulism, a potentially fatal disease that attacks the body’s nerves.
Others experienced palpitations, difficulty swallowing and chewing, slurred speech, difficulty raising arms, double vision and light-headedness.
The complaint also included documents showing Mr. Luther knew he was receiving tainted products, including online messages describing Botox as “bad.” U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized shipments addressed to Mr. Luther in 2023 and 2024, records show.
According to prosecutors, Mr. Luther offered clients injectable treatments to remove underarm sweat and facial wrinkles, as well as reduce wrinkles in the scrotum and increase the size of the penis.
But she did not advertise these treatments on the spa’s website or Instagram page. Instead, he recorded them on iPads handed to patients after they arrived, and instructed his employees never to take photos of him giving injections, prosecutors said.
When clients complained to Mr. Luther about their health problems, he told them they were experiencing common side effects, according to messages obtained by prosecutors. Here are some of the side effects reported to Mr. Luther. Listed by the manufacturers of Botox Potentially serious adverse effects requiring immediate medical attention.
Prosecutors said Mr Luther led clients to believe they were given products bought from Allergan, the US maker of Botox.
But in reality, Mr. Luther was buying products from suppliers based in China. Photographs of the consignment sent to Mr Luther were included in the court documents.
In private messages to suppliers, Mr. Lowther expressed concern about the side effects his clients were experiencing. And he was angry that his suppliers had sent him “contaminated” drugs, especially after he “ordered thousands and thousands of bottles” from them.
“You sold me bad botox and my clients were in hospital,” Mr Luther wrote to a supplier last April. “I had to pay their bills and try to save my reputation. Do you know how much money I lost?”
To cover these losses, he demanded that the supplier send him another shipment if he wanted to retain his business.
“You can send me 41 bottles and I’ll order another,” Mr. Luther said. But I will not place another order with you until I receive those 41 bottles.
Prosecutors said Mr. Luther continued to administer the bogus treatment until last July, as concerns about the use of fake Botox were growing nationwide.
Mr. Luther was aware of these concerns. On April 16, one of her clients sent her a message saying that Mr. Luther had developed double vision after a Botox treatment at the spa, and that he had gone to the emergency room for an MRI brain scan.
The client also sent Mr. Luther. CNN reports The report, published a day earlier, said 19 people in nine states, including New York, had reported adverse reactions after receiving cosmetic injections administered by unlicensed people, including some products that were found to be fake.
Three days later, Mr Luther replied to his distraught client: “Botox is from an allergen, so I know it’s not a problem. Sorry you’re going through this. I know it’s frustrating.”
Then, he sent an angry message to one of his suppliers in China that “at least 20” of his clients had fallen ill because of the “contaminated” product.
“It’s on the news here,” Mr. Luther wrote. “Do you understand what I’m saying? The Botox you sent me for February and March has caused all these side effects for my clients.
