A Florida woman who promoted herself online as a successful beauty entrepreneur is accused of running an illegal body-sculpting operation that left several women suffering from painful complications, scarring and abscesses, according to a WPLG Local 10 report.
Crime specialist Bridgette Matter reported that 33-year-old Latonya Shanice Starks, who was known online as “Dr. Lori” and operated under the name Lori Dior Beauty Spa, allegedly performed injections despite not being licensed as a doctor or health care professional.
The case stands out partly because of how openly Starks promoted the business on social media. Matter reported that she boasted about becoming wealthy through cosmetic work, at one point posting, “Imagine being a Millionaire off BOOTY,” while encouraging others to make money in the spa business.
Miami police say the image projected online was very different from what investigators later uncovered.
Women Report Serious Complications
According to Matter, police said Starks ran Lori Dior Miami Med Spa in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood and offered women cosmetic injections intended to alter or sculpt parts of their bodies.
One woman told investigators she found Starks through the business’s Instagram page and went to the clinic for what she believed would be Sculptra, which she understood to be a fat-dissolving treatment.
Police said the woman later learned that she had allegedly been injected with a substance known as Lemon Bottle, described in the arrest report as a foreign fat-dissolving product that was not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
A Miami Police Department detective wrote that after the injections, the substance began breaking through the woman’s skin in the same areas where it had been injected.
Matter reported that the woman suffered a severe reaction and required emergency medical treatment, while investigators said she ultimately needed repeated hospital care for around three months.
The woman later became pregnant and eventually suffered a miscarriage. According to the arrest report, she believed medications she had been required to take for complications from the injections contributed to the loss of the pregnancy.
That allegation is especially troubling because cosmetic procedures are generally sought by people hoping to improve their appearance or confidence, yet in this case, investigators say the treatment instead developed into a prolonged medical ordeal.
Other Clients Describe Lumps, Abscesses And Pain
Two other women also told investigators they found Starks through Instagram before going to the clinic for injections.
One of the women said she wanted to reduce what she described as “hip dips” and paid Starks $1,200 for treatment. Investigators said Starks used an insulin-type needle to inject a substance the woman believed was Sculptra into her buttocks and abdomen.
A Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office detective noted in the investigation that the substance is normally delivered with a larger syringe because its particles can clog smaller insulin-style needles.
The woman also paid $650 so her sister, who was visiting South Florida from Kentucky for her birthday, could receive injections as a gift.
According to police, neither woman had an easy recovery.
Both told investigators that they began experiencing lumps and irritation in the months after the injections. They later required repeated procedures to drain abscesses and repair scarring, and both continued to suffer pain around the injection sites.
Matter reported that one of the women said her medical problems became serious enough that she lost her job after missing work for multiple doctor visits and procedures.
Those accounts show how quickly an elective cosmetic treatment can become much more than an appearance issue when it is performed improperly. The alleged damage described by investigators affected not only the women’s bodies but also their work, finances and daily lives.
Instagram Business Had A Large Audience
Matter reported that Starks had built a substantial online following, with the beauty business attracting around 135,000 followers on Instagram.
Police reviewed the account during their investigation and found videos in which Starks said she was no longer personally performing injections.
One post stated that Lori Dior “ONLY does trainings” and did not provide services, while another said Starks had stopped doing liquid Brazilian butt lift procedures about two years earlier.
Investigators, however, were examining allegations from women who said they had received injections from her.
The social media page also advertised beauty-business training programs, and Matter reported that Starks promoted a three-tier mentoring system designed to teach other people how to work in the industry.
Other posts promoted what was called the “POWERBOOTY” buttock enhancement machine, with images showing dramatic body transformations.
The online marketing is an important part of the case because investigators say at least some of the women specifically discovered Starks through Instagram. A large follower count and polished branding can create the appearance of legitimacy, even when licensing and medical credentials have not been independently verified.
Police Say She Was Never Licensed
Authorities said records showed the Lori Dior business was not properly licensed with the state and that Starks was not authorized to perform the medical procedures investigators say she offered.
Matter also reported that the Miami operation was apparently not the first time authorities had raised concerns.
Investigators said Starks had previously received a cease-and-desist order from the state of Georgia over similar business activity before she began operating in Miami.
Records also showed that Starks had a felony history, including convictions in Georgia for offenses such as first-degree forgery and shoplifting dating back to 2010.
Authorities said she was on probation at the time of her latest arrest.
Police eventually took Starks into custody following a traffic stop near her Aventura home.
Searches Turn Up Medical Equipment
During a search of Starks’ vehicle, investigators said they found medical and cosmetic equipment, including needles, bandages, a sharps container and packaging marked “Sculptra 150.”
Police later obtained a search warrant for her apartment in Aventura, where detectives said they found additional medical and cosmetic supplies.
According to investigators, Starks claimed that a registered nurse named “Kate” had actually been performing the injections.
Police said she could not provide the woman’s last name, phone number or professional credentials.
Matter’s report also included remarks made during Starks’ court appearance, where she was warned about the seriousness of the accusations and the possibility of being jailed until trial if she were arrested again for providing health care treatments.
The combination of equipment allegedly found in her possession, accounts from former clients and the social media material became central parts of the case laid out by investigators.
Starks Faces Multiple Felony Charges
Starks is now charged with three counts of practicing health care without a license causing serious injury.
She also faces two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the report.
Matter said Starks was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on bond totaling more than $30,000.
The accusations remain allegations, and the criminal case will determine whether prosecutors can prove them in court. Still, the investigation described by Local 10 presents a striking contrast between the wealth and success promoted on social media and the experiences reported by women who say they were left dealing with serious medical consequences.
For consumers, the case also highlights why credentials matter in the cosmetic treatment industry, particularly when injections or other procedures enter medical territory. An impressive social media page can advertise results, followers and financial success, but none of those things substitute for proper licensing, training and oversight when someone is putting substances into another person’s body.
A former park ranger and wildlife conservationist, Lisa’s passion for survival started with her deep connection to nature. Raised on a small farm in northern Wisconsin, she learned how to grow her own food, raise livestock, and live off the land. Lisa is our dedicated Second Amendment news writer and also focuses on homesteading, natural remedies, and survival strategies. Lisa aims to help others live more sustainably and prepare for the unexpected.
