SJ Couple Arrested For Unlicensed Plastic Surgery
A man and woman are in custody today for allegedly performing numerous backroom surgeries including tummy tucks and facelifts that left at least one woman disfigured.
Ha Nguyen, 48, and Zbigniew Makowski, 62, were arrested Wednesday following an investigation by the Medical Board of California that was spurred by the woman's ordeal.
The woman contacted the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Welfare Fraud Division who then contacted the medical board.
"She had scars across both of her eyebrows and under her lip," Candis Cohen, spokeswoman for the Medical Board of California said. "She had a 1-inch by 3-inch scar on both sides of her face. That's the result of a botched facelift. She's disfigured as a result of this."
The woman also had a 15- to 18-inch scar under her navel, the result of a botched tummy tuck, Cohen said.
At least nine other alleged victims are hesitant to get involved, Cohen said.
While serving a warrant Wednesday, police discovered the home where the surgeries were performed in a state of filth.
Investigators allegedly found used and unused syringes and drugs on tables and dressers and in unlocked drawers while a 1-year-old child was present in the home. Three other children also lived in the home, including two belonging to Nguyen. They were removed by child protective services, Cohen said.
Nguyen placed at least one ad in a Vietnamese language newspaper. All of her alleged victims were Vietnamese.
The ads offered tattoos for eyebrows, lips and eyeliner but once women arrived, Nguyen would offer other more intensive surgeries.
Nguyen and Makowski are facing charges of child endangerment, practicing medicine without a license, conspiracy to practice medicine without a license and improper collection, handling and storage of biological specimens. Both are expected to be arraigned Friday.
Anyone who may have been treated by Nguyen or Makowski is encouraged to contact the Medical Board of California's San Jose District Office at (408) 437-3680.