Burnaby, B.C., spa employee who offered vaginal-tightening guilty on 7 counts of sexual assault

A Burnaby spa employee has been convicted of seven counts of sexual assault by a B.C. Supreme Court jury. Farshad Khojsteh Kashani, who provided purported vaginal-tightening treatments at Fab Skin Care, was charged in 2022 after two clients reported being sexually assaulted during their sessions. Following these initial complaints, five more women came forward with similar allegations.

During the trial, all seven complainants testified against Khojsteh Kashani. Three of the women had purchased the treatment through a Groupon deal, while the other four had previously visited the clinic for different esthetic procedures. Crown prosecutors argued that Khojsteh Kashani sexually assaulted each of the women during the procedure, taking advantage of their vulnerability and trust in him as a trained medical professional.

In response, Khojsteh Kashani’s defense maintained that the complainants’ accounts were illogical and stated that he had too much at stake, including his career, marriage, and immigration status in Canada, to risk such behavior. According to a now-deactivated biography on Fab Skin Care’s website, Khojsteh Kashani had worked as a general practitioner in Iran for over five years, specializing in cosmetic and aesthetic treatments.

The court learned that Khojsteh Kashani had attended medical school in Iran for seven years before immigrating to Canada in 2011 under the skilled workers program. Despite his medical background, he was never registered as a physician in British Columbia, as confirmed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Following the charges against Khojsteh Kashani, Fraser Health issued a public alert advising anyone who had received HIFU vaginal tightening treatments at Fab Skin Care to undergo testing for sexually transmitted infections. The health authority emphasized that the spa was not operating under the supervision of a registered health professional and had failed to implement proper infection control measures.

As a result of his conviction, Khojsteh Kashani’s bail has been revoked, with a bail hearing scheduled at the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. A sentencing date has yet to be determined, marking the next phase in this troubling case of sexual assault within the spa industry.