The Guardian
· collected 2026-10-06 · by Victoria Bekiempis in New York
Klara Shuster, owner of Klara Beauty Lab in New York City, has admitted to importing and administering illegal Botox from Asia that led one client to contract botulism. Shuster pleaded guilty on August 3 to multiple charges including conspiracy to commit smuggling, dispensing a misbranded drug, and conspiring to dispense such a drug. Her actions occurred between February 2020 and October 2025, during which she administered the unapproved substance to clients without medical supervision or prescription, resulting in at least one client being hospitalized for botulism. Shuster faces up to 13 years in prison but her sentencing is tentatively set for December 9.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Klara Shuster, owner of a New York City med spa, admitted in federal court on August 3, 2023, to illegally importing and administering counterfeit Botox from Asia. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit smuggling and acknowledged dispensing the mislabeled drug without prescription or medical supervision between February 2020 and October 2025. Judge John Koeltl questioned Shuster about her actions, specifically asking if she had dispensed a fake Botox product that was not genuine. The counterfeit injections resulted in a client developing botulism. This case highlights the risks associated with unregulated cosmetic procedures and underscores the importance of medical oversight for such treatments.
Written for “Botulism From Bootleg Botox” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
The owner of a New York City med spa has admitted to illegally administering bootleg Botox from Asia, leading one to client to develop botulism.
asserted
owner → admit → botulism
Klara Shuster, also known as Klara Chrzuszcz, made those admissions in the course of pleading guilty in federal court recently to conspiracy to commit smuggling, among other charges.
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Shuster → know → charges
The US attorney’s office for the southern district of New York said Shuster’s involvement in the smuggling plot spanned from February 2020 to October 2025.
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involvement → say → October
Among other things, she ordered a drug containing botulism toxin over the internet from Korea.
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she → order → Korea
“I imported mislabeled Botox illegally to this country,” Shuster said in court at her 3 August plea proceeding.
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Shuster → import → proceeding
“And then I dispensed it to clients mislabeled, and I knew it was against the law.”
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it → dispense → law
Schuster, an esthetician, said she did that “without the prescription and without any medical supervision”.
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she → say → supervision
“I plead guilty because I am guilty,” she said in court.
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she → plead → court
During that hearing, US district court judge John Koeltl asked if she “dispensed a prescription drug containing botulinum toxin that you asserted was a particular drug, but was not that genuine drug”.
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you → ask → toxin
Koetl also said the person to whom Shuster gave that substance in Manhattan was then hospitalized for botulism, a potentially fatal condition caused by a toxin that attacks a body’s nerves, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
uncertain
that → say → Control
Shuster replied: “Yes, your Honor.”
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Shuster → reply → ?
Prosecutor Joseph Rosenberg said in court that Shuster was an esthetician who owns Klara Beauty Lab medical spa in Manhattan’s tony Upper East Side neighborhood.
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who → say → neighborhood
There, as Rosenberg put it, Shuster “advertised and provided many services.
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Shuster → put → services
“Among those was administering Botox, but instead of administering Botox, [Shuster] often administered products containing the active ingredient of Botox, which is botulism toxin – but was not Botox.”
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which → administer → Botox
Shuster was not legally allowed to give “actual Botox” injections, according to Rosenberg.
uncertain
Shuster → allow → Rosenberg
New York state prohibits estheticians from prescribing or administering Botox as it is a prescription drug often give to people to smooth wrinkles in their faces.
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it → prohibit → faces
Rosenberg said the person to whom Shuster gave botulism became “quite sick” before being hospitalized.
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Shuster → say → botulism
Asked for comment, Shuster’s attorney Todd Spodek said that his client “has accepted responsibility for her actions”.
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client → ask → actions
“Her foremost concern is the health and wellbeing of her clients,” Shuster said.
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Shuster → say → clients
“She cares deeply about them and recognizes the responsibility that comes with the trust they placed in her.”
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they → care → her
Shuster’s sentencing was tentatively set for 9 December.
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sentencing → set → December
She faces up to 13 years in prison, though federal defendants who plead guilty rather than stand trial do not typically receive the harshest possible punishments.
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who → face → punishments
Beside conspiracy to commit smuggling, Shuster pleaded guilty to dispensing a misbranded drug while held for sale with intent to defraud or mislead as well as conspiring to dispense such a drug.
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Shuster → commit → drug
A 2 October court filing noted that Shuster planned to travel to Florida in November “to attend a professional seminar”.
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Shuster → note → seminar
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