Erica Russell of Nashville, TN, was 33 when she traveled to Coral Gables, FL, for a Brazilian butt lift procedure at the Seduction Cosmetic Center. John Sampson, MD, was Seduction Cosmetic’s designated physician. He was not a designated surgeon. However, he performed Russell’s Brazilian butt lift on June 16, 2021. Multiple organs were punctured during the procedure, and Russell died a few hours after it began.[1]
Russell’s family filed suit against Seduction Cosmetic Center in March 2024. According to the suit, both Seduction Cosmetic and Dr. Sampson told Russell that Dr. Sampson had cosmetic and plastic surgery privileges. In a 2020 letter to the Florida Health Department, Dr. Sampson stated that he did not perform any surgical procedures. His official duties at the cosmetic center involved ensuring the facility’s compliance with health and safety standards.[1]
Allegedly, during surgery, Dr. Sampson punctured Russell’s abdominal walls and internal organs multiple times, including perforation of her liver, intestines, and bladder. Reportedly, Dr. Sampson also incorrectly placed fat injections. About two hours into the surgery, Dr. Sampson placed a fat deposit that blocked Russell’s blood flow, leading to a fatal cardiac arrest.[1]
According to the suit, Russell wasn’t the only patient Dr. Sampson surgically treated between April and June 2021. On June 16, Russell was one of seven patients Dr. Sampson performed surgery on during a single 14-hour shift. The lawsuit names both Dr. Sampson and Seduction Cosmetic.[2][3]
Multiple violations
Gretel Jardon and Luis Jardon own Seduction Cosmetic Center. However, the Florida Department of Health has determined that because he served as the designated physician, the responsibility for violations at the center falls to Dr. Sampson. Investigators for the board found multiple violations at Seduction Cosmetic, including:[3]
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Post-operative follow-up for one or more patients completed by an unlicensed staff member who signed as a nurse practitioner or physician.
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Surgeries performed by a physician not registered with the Department of Health to perform office-based surgery.
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Physicians listed on the registration who were no longer employed at the facility.