The Proliferation of Fake Botox in the United States Draws Increased Federal Scrutiny

As the U.S. population ages, demand for Botulinum Toxin (“Botox”) continues to rise. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that in 2022, Botox was the most commonly performed minimally invasive procedure, with 7.2 million treatments nationwide. The number of medical spas (“med spas”) offering Botox and similar cosmetic injectables is also growing. According to the American Med Spa Association’s 2024 Medical Spa State of the Industry Report, the industry has experienced “steady growth” over the past 15 years, reaching over 10,000 med spas by the end of 2023. Analysts project that the global med spa market could surpass $50 billion by 2033.

A Surge in Counterfeit Botox

A New York Times article on April 25, 2024, highlighted a rise in counterfeit and improperly administered Botox leading to patient injuries. The article noted that since 2012, federal agencies have issued more than 2,000 warning letters to doctors and medical centers that purchased counterfeit or unapproved Botox. Two factors were cited as fueling the rise in the fake products: trusting consumers are not verifying they are receiving real products, and the accessibility of fake products. Counterfeit Botox may contain incorrect, or dangerously high, doses of toxins, or none at all.

On April 16, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) announced that fake Botox was found in multiple states and administered to patients for cosmetic purposes. The alert disclosed that adverse events, including hospitalizations, were linked to the injections of fake Botox. The FDA warned that these “products appear to have been purchased from unlicensed sources” and that they may be “misbranded, adulterated, counterfeit, contaminated, improperly stored and transported, ineffective and/or unsafe.”

FDA Issues Warning Letters

On November 5, 2025, the FDA announced the issuance of warning letters to 18 websites, including nine based in Asia, for allegedly selling unapproved and misbranded Botox and similar injectables. The FDA warned of serious health risks, including botulism, which can cause muscle paralysis, respiratory distress, and death.

The FDA emphasized that legitimate Botox products are prescription-only, carry a boxed warning, and must be sourced through authorized distributors and administered by licensed professionals. Any unapproved sourcing may render a product “misbranded, adulterated, counterfeit, contaminated, or improperly stored.” These warnings could establish potential notice and intent elements in future prosecutions of the website operators.

The FDA accused each website of introducing “unapproved and misbranded injectable drugs” into interstate commerce, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”). Operators were given 15 days to respond and remediate violations. Continued noncompliance could form the basis of federal charges demonstrating knowledge and intent.

Ongoing Federal Enforcement

Although recent FDA actions signal heightened scrutiny, federal enforcement related to the importation, and administration of fake Botox is already underway.

• November 22, 2022: Dr. Lindsay Clark, a San Francisco area physician, pled guilty to violating the FDCA, and her practice pled guilty to one count of receiving and delivering misbranded drugs, in connection with the purchase of unapproved Botox and Juvederm (a FDA-approved injectable dermal filler) from overseas websites and selling them to patients as FDA-approved products, earning over $1 million.
• November 1, 2024: Rebecca Fadanelli, a Massachusetts med spa owner, was charged with illegally importing and selling or dispensing counterfeit Botox and Juvederm from China while falsely claiming to her patients and employees be a licensed nurse, when she was actually an aesthetician. She allegedly earned over $900,000 from the procedures. Customs and Border Patrol (“CBP”) seized multiple packages of misbranded products linked to her spa. The case is currently scheduled for trial in March 2026 in the District of Massachusetts.
• January 22, 2025: Joey Grant Luther, a New York aesthetician and med spa owner, was arrested for illegally importing and administering counterfeit Botox from Asia without a license. Luther was charged with wire fraud, smuggling, and other crimes related to misbranded and counterfeit drugs. CBP intercepted a parcel containing large quantities of counterfeit drugs, including counterfeit Botox. Several patients reportedly complained to Luther after experiencing botulism-like symptoms.[1]

Outlook and Compliance Considerations

With reports of botulism-like illnesses, federal authorities, including the FDA, are expected to continue prioritizing counterfeit injectable investigations, often in coordination with CBP. Providers should recognize that purchasing drugs from international online “pharmacies” carries substantial legal and patient-safety risks.

Investigations will likely focus on invoices, payment records, customs seizures, and packaging evidence. To mitigate exposure, legitimate providers should:

• Document verification of suppliers and products.
• Promptly respond to patient complaints and FDA or CBP warnings.
• Take immediate corrective actions, such as halting use, notifying patients, and retraining staff, after learning of potential violations.

Failure to act after receiving warnings can significantly increase criminal liability. Conversely, timely compliance and transparency can serve as key mitigating factors.

For more information about this and other enforcement trends, please contact Jay McCormack at (617) 357-3776 and jmccormack@verrill-law.com.  Jay is a Partner in the White Collar Defense & Government Enforcement, and Health Care & Life Sciences practices at Verrill. He is a former federal prosecutor, who specialized in health care fraud. He also previously served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire.

[1] In August 2025, the Government dismissed the charges against Luther without prejudice.