A Seattle-area plastic surgery provider must pay $5 million to the state attorney general’s office and thousands of Washingtonians after being accused of illegally manipulating online customer reviews and threatening patients, according to a federal consent decree filed Monday. The consent decree resolves the lawsuit filed by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson in December 2022 , which accuses Allure Esthetic and owner Dr. Javad Sajan of violating state and federal consumer protection laws by posting fake reviews and forcing patients to sign nondisclosure agreements.
More The resolution, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, requires Allure to pay about $1.
5 million in restitution to about 21,000 Washingtonians, who will receive a letter from the attorney general with a check (either $50 or $120, depending on each person’s situation). The rest of the $5 million will go to Ferguson’s office for attorney fees, costs of litigating the case, and future monitoring and enforcing of the consent decree, according to the resolution. “Writing a truthful review about a business should not subject you to threats or intimidation,” Ferguson said in a statement Monday.
“Consumers rely on reviews when determining who to trust, especially services that affect their health and safety. This resolution holds Allure accountable for brazenly violating that trust — and the law — and ensures the clinic stops its harmful conduct.” Allure Esthetic could.
