Woman arrested in Reno ‘Botox bandit’ case

RENO -- One of Reno's "Botox bandit" suspects has been arrested on suspicion of skipping out on a business without paying for Botox treatments, officers said.

Lisa Martini, 49, of Sparks was arrested Wednesday night on charges of burglary and obtaining services under false pretenses.

Police Sgt. Jeff Freelove declined to give details about the case, including the medical spa or clinic involved.

But he said Martini is accused of skipping out twice without paying a total of $3,500 in services.

Reno police are looking for suspects in three similar cases, including a woman who walked out of Reno's Genesis Medical Spa on March 13 without paying for more than $1,300 in Botox and facial filler treatments.

Freelove said after that incident was publicized, two other local businesses called police to report similar cases.

Freelove told the Reno Gazette-Journal that the suspects typically obtain Botox treatments, then present a credit card on an invalid account. They then tell the employee they have to leave the business to get money from their vehicles, but do not return, he said.

The incident at the Genesis spa marked the third time since last summer that a woman has left without paying for Botox treatments at the facility, owner Scott Seidenstricker said.

Last year, other women bilked the spa for $2,275 and $1,000 on separate occasions after receiving similar services.

The same middle-age woman accused of cheating the Genesis spa earlier this month also is suspected of skipping out at Reno's Renovation, A Medical Spa without paying $1,500 four years ago and $150 in June.

Seidenstricker has said he's considering requiring patrons to pay before receiving services because of the string of cases.