Couple accused of running unlicensed cosmetic surgery recovery centers

MIAMI - A South Florida couple is accused of running several unlicensed cosmetic surgery recovery centers.

According to court documents, on social media Tatiana Giraldo-Torres, 33, and Juan Diego Ramirez, 32, advertised Tatiana's Resort & Spa as a full-service recovery center for post-cosmetic surgery. One post claims the business is run by an "expert family leading the industry of plastic surgery recovery."

But police made a much different discovery. Investigators said the couple was running their business out of three homes in northeast Miami-Dade, Doral and the Tamiami area.

When police obtained a search warrant for a home on SW 12 Terrace at the end of last month, officers said they found a patient and an employee. The employee said they were paid $10 an hour by Giraldo-Torres and Ramirez to care for the patients, according to police.

An arrest report states, "A subsequent inspection of trash containers (including the large green regular waste bin and recycling bin) which were located on the west side of the residence in front of the garage, was conducted and were fully loaded for regular trash and large quantities of contaminated plastics and cloth (adult diapers, gloves, medical absorbent pads, bed pads, and maggots consuming the blood) were in regular white trash bags for collection."

Police said a few days later they received a call from patients reporting "unprofessional behavior" at another home in northeast Miami-Dade on South Spur Drive. The patients told police they didn't feel safe there.

A third alleged recovery location was found at an apartment complex in Doral, where police said they found more patients being cared for by unlicensed people.

Giraldo-Torres and Ramirez are facing several charges, including individual counts of organized scheme to defraud, witness tampering and felony hazardous waste.