A woman is facing felony charges after authorities say she ran an illegal beauty clinic out of her Jacksonville apartment, injecting clients with unapproved facial fillers despite lacking a medical license.
Olena Malashevych, a Ukrainian national, was arrested this week at her apartment in the Golden Glades neighborhood near Atlantic Boulevard. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) alleges that she was ordering unapproved “mystery mail-order filler” and performing the injections inside her home.
One neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, described seeing unfamiliar women visit Malashevych’s apartment but had no idea what was happening inside. “I did see women go there, yes. I said hi to a few people passing by, going over there. But I had no idea what was going on,” the neighbor said.
According to FDLE, the procedures were not only illegal but also posed significant risks to clients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that counterfeit injectables can lead to severe side effects such as blurred vision, paralysis, and difficulty breathing.
Kamiya Timmons, another neighbor, expressed shock upon learning of the operation. “That’s crazy to me. That’s a professional thing and she’s doing it in her home, in my own neighborhood, and I didn’t even know,” Timmons said.
Malashevych’s neighbor also noted seeing her with a man, often spending time on the porch, where they were seen smoking and drinking. “They were very friendly, always on the porch. They were smoking and drinking on the porch, just hanging out,” the neighbor said.
Malashevych was released from jail on Thursday and is now facing charges for practicing or attempting to practice medicine without a medical license. FDLE shared the arrest on social media, jokingly noting, “It sounds like her work visa might be getting its own facelift sometime soon…”
Related topics:
