'Fake' Doctor, 31, Arrested by Cops During Sting Operation After She Attempted to Inject 'Client' With Botox in $450 Session
An accused 'fake' doctor in Miami has been arrested for providing Botox treatments to 'clients.'
March 4 2026, Published 2:45 p.m. ET
A Miami woman who allegedly pretended to be a cosmetic doctor has been busted by the real-life police, RadarOnline.com can report.
Mayling Maya-Giraldo was arrested after a sting by undercover cops who "signed up" for a Botox appointment.
'Fake' Doctor Busted in Undercover Sting
Mayling Maya-Giraldo was arrested after an undercover operation for allegedly pretending to be a doctor.
According to arresting officers, Maya-Giraldo operated her "business" from her personal Instagram account, in which she falsely referred to herself as a "doctor."
The page was populated with photos and videos of her performing cosmetic procedures such as Botox injections, lip filler, and laser treatments.
On Valentine's Day, the 31-year-old offered a special on Botox to smooth wrinkles on the face: "Unique price: $450."
Undercover investigators scheduled an appointment with Maya-Giraldo, and a Florida Department of Health medical quality assurance investigator pretended to be a patient before detectives swarmed in and arrested her.
"Upon further inspection of the vial that [Maya-Giraldo] was going to use on [the undercover investigator], it was discovered that the product was Toxta," the detective wrote, according to a report. "Toxta requires a prescription for it to be dispensed, and it is a foreign and unapproved product from South Korea and cannot be dispensed in the United States."
Fake Doctors, Real Problems
She allegedly used a type of filler banned in the U.S.
Deputies arrested Maya-Giraldo, who was born in Colombia and lives in Downtown Miami, and booked her on three charges: Practicing health care without a license, possession of a drug with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver, and misrepresenting a license.
She was sent to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is scheduled to be arraigned on April 20.
Fake cosmetic doctors are a growing problem in the U.S., and the Food and Drug Administration announced last year it issued more than a dozen warning letters to owners of websites "illegally marketing unapproved and misbranded products" after adverse events that included botulism symptoms.
"Unapproved and misbranded Botox products carry serious health risks," Dr. Marty Makary, the FDA commissioner, said in the statement, adding that "patients should ensure they only receive these products from a provider who is licensed and trained to administer such injections" and "only receive these injections if the product is obtained from an authorized source."
Pete Hegseth's a 'Botox Fan'
Pete Hegseth is rumored to be a fan of Botox.
Botox has been booming among those looking to shape their looks, including some high-profile people like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who reportedly underwent a round of cosmetic injections late last year.
"It's all an ego play for Pete," an insider explained. "He's always been full of himself, but lately his ego is off the charts. "He's obsessed with his body, and now he wants to create the entire military in his image."
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The Defense Secretary denies it.
The 45-year-old reportedly also ordered modifications to a room next to the Pentagon press briefing room to include his own personal makeup studio, according to CBS News. Insiders at the time claimed the project cost several thousand dollars.
However, Hegseth shut down the claims and, in response, said, "Totally fake story. No 'orders' and no 'makeup.'"
An official for Hegseth's department then claimed the former Fox News personality was doing his own makeup ahead of TV appearances.
