A former spa owner in Burnaby, British Columbia, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting seven women during medical aesthetic procedures that he represented as legitimate. Farshad Khojsteh-Kashani, who had operated the spa, was found guilty by a jury in April and has been incarcerated since then.
The offences involved invasive treatments, including a so-called “vaginal tightening” procedure using an 18-centimetre wand, during which Khojsteh-Kashani rubbed the victims’ clitorises and penetrated them with his fingers. In several instances, he asked the women whether the treatments “turned them on” or if they wanted him “to finish them off.” Some victims came seeking other cosmetic procedures and were introduced to this treatment without a proper explanation.
Khojsteh-Kashani had worked as a medical doctor in Iran but was not certified to practice medicine in Canada. During the trial, he contended the assaults were misunderstandings; however, the jury rejected his denials of inappropriate touching.
Justice Lisa Warren emphasised during sentencing that each assault was grave and marked by a breach of trust: the complainants believed they were seeking legitimate therapeutic care. The judge said the spa operator made a conscious decision to violate those who trusted him, exploiting their vulnerability while misrepresenting the nature of the procedures.
The Crown had sought 12 years in prison, while the defence asked for a conditional sentence. The judge gave credit for time already served in custody, which means Khojsteh-Kashani has a little over 10 years left to serve.
The case has also renewed scrutiny of the cosmetic and medical aesthetics industry in British Columbia, as the Crown pointed out gaps in regulation that, according to prosecutors, created an environment where such abuses could occur.