MIAMI (WSVN) - A Miami woman who advertised herself as a doctor on social media was arrested Thursday after undercover investigators caught her preparing to inject an unapproved cosmetic substance into a patient’s forehead without a medical license.
Thirty-one-year-old Mayling Maya-Giraldo, who promoted her services on Instagram, was taken into custody at her office at 175 SW 7th St. in downtown Miami following a sting operation led by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Medical Crimes Squad.
Investigators began looking into Maya-Giraldo after a tip from Homeland Security Investigations. The Florida Department of Health confirmed she was not licensed to practice any health profession in Florida or administer Botox in the state.
Her Instagram pages showed her performing procedures including Botox injections, lip fillers and endolifting. A Valentine’s Day promotion advertised a full-face Botox treatment for $450.
Undercover investigators booked a 3 p.m. appointment through Instagram direct message. Before confirming it, Maya-Giraldo asked for a photo of the patient, authorities say, that she used to assess the client. She told investigators the patient would need Botox in her forehead to treat wrinkles and expression lines.
At the office, Maya-Giraldo collected $500 in cash, returned $50 in change, wiped makeup from the investigator’s forehead and applied a numbing cream before filling a vial she planned to use for the injection.
That’s when detectives moved in.
The substance in the vial was identified as Toxta, a prescription-only product manufactured in South Korea that is not approved for use in the United States.
When asked if she held a medical license in Florida or anywhere in the U.S., Maya-Giraldo said she had certificates to inject Botox, according to the arrest report.
She faces multiple felony charges, including practicing a health care profession without a license and possession of a prescription drug with intent to sell or deliver. She is also being held on an immigration detainer.
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