An employee at a Burnaby, B.C., skincare business has now been charged with two counts of sexual assault with a weapon following a police investigation.
Burnaby RCMP said there may be more victims and they are urging anyone with any information to come forward.
In 2021, a second victim came forward to the police after undergoing treatment by the same practitioner, police said.
On March 14, 2022, Farshad Khojsteh Kashani, 47, was charged.
As a result of this investigation, Fraser Health is now advising anyone who received “high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) vaginal tightening services” at Fab Skin Care, located at 5481 Kingsway, to seek screening for sexually transmitted infections immediately.
“Fraser Health Public Health was made aware that this business was not providing these services through a registered health professional and was not using appropriate infection control measures while providing these services. Fraser Health Public Health has ordered the operator to cease performing these activities and is monitoring compliance with this order,” Fraser Health said in a release.
“As a precaution, Fraser Health Public Health is advising people who received this service at Fab Skin Care to visit their family physician or primary care provider as soon as possible to be screened for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. In addition, Public Health recommends these individuals continue to receive routine screening for human papillomavirus (HPV).”
Fraser Health said anyone who is undergoing an intravaginal procedure should ask if the service is performed by a registered health professional.
For more information on sexually transmitted infections go to the Fraser Health website or call 811 to speak to a public health nurse.“We are grateful to the two women who came forward to police, but our investigators haven’t ruled out that there could be other people with information who we have not yet heard from,” Cpl. Michelle Hurtubise with Burnaby RCMP said in a release.
“We are appealing for anyone else with information to contact our investigators.”
People with information can contact investigators by calling a designated phone information line at 604-646-9511.