Bean Town Times

A woman from Stoughton has been arrested for allegedly smuggling goods into the United States and distributing counterfeit drugs and devices. Rebecca Fadanelli, 38, faces charges including illegal importation of merchandise, selling counterfeit drugs, and dispensing counterfeit devices. She was taken into custody and is set to appear in federal court in Worcester.

Fadanelli owns Skin Beaute Med Spa, with locations in Randolph and South Easton, Massachusetts. According to charging documents, since March 2021 she has imported counterfeit Botox, Sculptra, and Juvederm from China and Brazil. It is alleged that she performed thousands of injections with these products, earning over $900,000 from clients. Despite claiming to be a nurse, Fadanelli is an aesthetician without the necessary license or certification to administer prescription drugs or devices.

"For years, Ms. Fadanelli allegedly put unsuspecting patients at risk by representing herself to be a nurse," stated Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. He emphasized the potential danger of such practices: "The type of deception alleged here is illegal, reckless and potentially life-threatening."

Fernando McMillan of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations commented on the risks posed by counterfeit injectable cosmetic drugs: "We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who choose to subvert the safeguards of the legitimate drug and device regulatory regime."

Jennifer De La O from U.S. Customs and Border Protection highlighted their efforts against illegal products: "This case is a prime example of the collaborative efforts that are taken by our law enforcement community."

The charge for importing merchandise contrary to law carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison along with fines. The charges related to selling or dispensing counterfeit products could result in up to 10 years in prison per count.

Those who suspect they received services involving counterfeit products from Fadanelli are encouraged to fill out a questionnaire on the FDA's website. Updates on the case can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Sarah Hoefle are handling prosecution duties for this case.

It should be noted that all details within charging documents remain allegations until proven otherwise in court.