A plastic surgery clinic in North Carolina has been busted for giving patients fake Botox. More than 40 patients were injected with a neurotoxin that has so far only been approved for research purposes. The federal hammer recently swung down on a plastic surgery firm accused of giving its patients a cheap and unsafe Botox substitute. Individuals associated with the Gastonia, North Carolina location of Southeastern Plastic Surgery have been accused of injecting 41 people with a product that had been deemed for research purposes only – not for human use. Indictments were filed earlier this month in a federal court. 

The court documents say the violations began in 2004 when Southeastern Plastic Surgery purchased 10 vials of the fake Botox product from Toxin Research International, a company located in Arizona. Chad Livdahl, the 34-year-old president of Toxin Research International Inc. and his wife, 34-year-old Zahra Karim, faced fraud and conspiracy charges and were convicted in 2008. They were sentenced to nine and six years, respectively. Since then, law enforcement has pursued the companies who knowingly purchased and distributed the faux Botox, including Southeastern Plastic Surgery, which has three clinics throughout North and South Carolina. 

According to documents submitted to the court, Southeastern Plastic Surgery used this drug because it was cheaper than Botox and was said to have a longer shelf life. But the firm allegedly altered the drug label and also designed a consent form that inaccurately claimed the drug had been proven safe during clinical trials. Patients who were injected with the cheaper drug had all signed the consent form, even though they were later made to pay the higher prices associated with Botox. Officially, the firm is being charged for the United States Code violations of altering drug labels and dispensing a drug imitation. 

Legal proceedings continue. But the United States Attorney’s office has already asked Southeastern Plastic Surgery to surrender any property that was involved in administering the fake Botox. The U.S. Attorney’s office also requests about $15,000 for the company’s alleged code violations.