Man who allegedly posed as doctor, performed plastic surgery on woman in LA faces charges

A man accused of posing as a doctor and performing cosmetic surgery on a woman in Los Angeles is now facing criminal charges, the LA County District Attorney's Office said Friday.

Cristian Adrian Perez Latorre, 53, has been charged with one count of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of battery with serious injury and six counts of practicing medicine without a certification. Prosecutors have also filed a special allegation of inflicting great bodily injury, which carries a sentencing enhancement.

According to prosecutors, he was impersonating a doctor and had no medical license when he carried out the surgery on July 13, 2021. Ten days later, Latorre allegedly treated the woman for infections stemming from the surgery. Then, nearly two months after that, on Aug. 13, 2021, prosecutors say he treated the woman again for even more complications resulting from the surgery. 

In a statement about the criminal charges, the DA's office did not release details about what those complications were or what kind of cosmetic surgery was performed. The statement was released by the DA's office as well as the California Department of Consumer Affairs, which also investigated the case.

"There is no excuse for the unlicensed practice of medicine, and it will not be tolerated," Department of Consumer Affairs Division of Investigation Chief Kathleen Nicholls said in the statement, calling such alleged crimes "dangerous and selfish."

On Thursday, Latorre was arrested by investigators with the DA's office. He could face up to 10 years in state prison if convicted of all charges, according to prosecutors. 

An Instagram account with his photos and name, prefaced with the title "Dr.," has 20,000 followers and features several posts on the harmful effects of silicone injections.

Anyone with information about Latorre is asked to call the Consumer Protection Division of the DA's office at 213-257-3010.