A Seattle-area plastic surgery provider has agreed to pay $5 million in restitution and penalties following accusations of coercing patients into signing illegal agreements and manipulating online reviews, according to a federal consent decree.
The settlement, filed on July 1 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, resolves a lawsuit initiated by Attorney General Bob Ferguson in December 2022, as reported by The Seattle Times. The lawsuit alleged that Allure Esthetic and its owner, Dr. Javad Sajan, violated state and federal consumer protection laws by engaging in deceptive practices such as posting fabricated positive reviews and imposing nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) on patients to prevent them from expressing negative opinions about the clinic.
Under the terms of the consent decree, Allure will allocate approximately $1.5 million in restitution to approximately 21,000 individuals affected by these practices. Patients who were compelled to sign illegal NDAs will receive $50 each, while those who paid a nonrefundable consultation fee before signing an illegal NDA will be reimbursed $120 each.
The remaining $3.5 million will cover attorney fees, litigation costs, and the expenses associated with monitoring and enforcing compliance with the consent decree, as outlined in the resolution.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson emphasized the importance of consumer trust and transparency in his statement: “Leaving honest reviews about businesses should not expose consumers to threats or intimidation. Reviews are critical for consumers, especially when making decisions about their health and safety. This resolution holds Allure accountable for breaching that trust and the law, ensuring the clinic ceases its harmful practices.”
In response to the settlement, Erin M. O’Leary, representing Allure Esthetic, acknowledged the decision to settle while maintaining the company’s commitment to patient care: “Although not admitting fault, the cooperative settlement resolves claims from both parties and allows Allure Esthetic to refocus on its core mission of providing compassionate care.”
Allure Esthetic, operating under various names including Alderwood Surgical Center, Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery, Seattle Plastic Surgery, Northwest Nasal Sinus Center, and Northwest Face & Body, offers a range of surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures, according to its website.
The lawsuit detailed multiple allegations against Allure, including the artificial inflation of ratings on platforms like Yelp and Google through the posting of fake positive reviews and suppression of genuine negative feedback. Additionally, the company was accused of manipulating local “best doctor” competitions, withholding patient rebates, and altering photographs of patient outcomes.
According to the complaint, Allure resorted to legal threats and lawsuits against patients who did not remove negative reviews. The clinic also allegedly incentivized patients to delete negative comments by offering monetary compensation, free services, or products. More than 10,000 patients were reportedly coerced into signing NDAs that prohibited them from posting negative reviews online before receiving treatment.
Dr. Javad Sajan, personally implicated in directing these activities, allegedly authorized monetary incentives and directed staff to create fake patient accounts to post positive reviews.
As part of the resolution, Allure must engage a third-party forensic accounting firm to conduct an independent audit of its consumer rebate program, ensuring compliance and identifying recipients owed rebates for the next decade. Violations of the consent decree could result in civil penalties of up to $125,000 per offense for Allure or any related businesses.
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