Mossos arrest fake aesthetic doctor over injuries at Barcelona clinic

The arrest

The Mossos d'Esquadra arrested a 48-year-old man on Thursday, 29 October, on suspicion of carrying out aesthetic medicine treatments without the required qualifications at a clinic in the Eixample district of Barcelona. The force announced the arrest in a statement issued on Wednesday, 4 November. The man is accused of unlawful practice of a profession, causing injuries, offences against public health and fraud. The Eixample Research Unit is also investigating two other people: a 44-year-old woman who worked as a nurse and a 32-year-old man who also performed aesthetic treatments without the necessary permits.

How the investigation began

The case opened in late April, when a woman filed a complaint saying she had suffered serious injuries and side effects after a treatment at the clinic. She reported facial granulomas, persistent inflammation and facial deformities. She had paid a total of 2,600 euros for facial treatments, Botox sessions and hyaluronic acid. After the complications she asked for her money back, but the clinic refused, and the cost of new medical treatment fell on her. Investigators later identified a second patient, a woman who had suffered complications from another treatment for which she had paid about 1,000 euros.

Visit and escape

On 16 June investigators went to the clinic to carry out checks. According to El Periódico, a woman who introduced herself as an administrative worker received them, but it was later established that she was acting as a nurse. When officers tried to identify the man under investigation, he left through another exit. The Mossos statement said that the centre had presumably been the place where the suspect was known as the face of the business, while he lacked any qualification.

The search and the clinic's staff

During the search, officers found a doctor working at the clinic whose professional college registration had been verified. She chose to declare as a victim because she had also undergone treatments and suffered side effects. Officers seized prefilled syringes, about twenty boxes of hyaluronic acid vials, botulinum toxin and other medicines, patient records and more than 4,800 euros in cash from a safe. Investigators allege the clinic used self-employed doctors to give the operation an appearance of legality.

Earlier closure and next steps

The Mossos noted that the Department of Health had ordered the closure in 2024 of another clinic linked to the suspect, for unlicensed practice and for lacking products authorised by the Spanish Medicines and Health Products Agency. Police advise anyone who had aesthetic treatment at the Eixample clinic to file a complaint at a police station. The two other people remain under investigation.