On Friday (Nov. 13th) Toan Le, 51, and Hang Ho, 41, of the Crystal Nails salon in Burien plead guilty in US District Court to charges of attempting to illegally import an unapproved skin treatment device as well as two counts of attempting to bribe a federal official.
Le pleaded guilty to bribing a public official, and could face up to two years in prison. Ho pleaded guilty to importing an unapproved medical device into the country, which could result in one year in the slammer.
According to court documents, Ho attempted to import a laser-type device called a”skin light machine,” which emits radiation and has not been approved by the FDA for use in the US.
Le and Ho also plead guilty to offering bribes of $500, then $800 to a federal FDA official to overlook the unapproved machinery.
Crystal Nails is located at 15728 First Ave South in Burien.
According to the FDA, some consumers have suffered severe burns and infection, and others have actually died after being treated by the unapproved laser devices.
Crystal Nails is located at 15728 First Ave South in Burien, in the strip mall behind McDonald’s and Roundtable Pizza, and across the parking lot from Page2 Books.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
According to both The Seattle Times and The News Tribune, Toan Le, 51, and Hang Ho, 41, of the Crystal Nails salon in Burien, have been indicted on the illegal importing of a skin treatment device as well as two counts of attempting to bribe a federal official.
Reports are that Le and Ho offered bribes of $500, then $800 to a federal Food and Drug Administration official to overlook an unapproved, radiation-emitting laser skin treatment device they had imported.
According to the Times, Ho told the FDA inspector that if she helped them keep the device, “we will give you a present.”
Crystal Nails is located at 15728 First Ave South in Burien.
Cyrstal Nails is located at 15728 First Ave South in Burien, in the strip mall behind McDonald’s and Roundtable Pizza, and across the parking lot from Page2 Books.
As of Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 25th) it appeared to be open for business as usual.
Read the full Seattle Times report here.
The News Tribune story is here.
