SEATTLE, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- The owners-operators of a beauty salon in Washington state pleaded guilty to bribery and illegally importing cosmetic equipment, officials said.
Toan Le, 51, and Hang Ho, 41, of Burien, Wash., pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Seattle in their attempt to import and use a cosmetic device not approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Justice said in a release.
Le pleaded guilty to trying to bribe a public official and Ho pleaded guilty to trying to import and use the unapproved equipment at their Chrystal Nails salon, including a "Skin Light Machine," which emits radiation at unknown levels.
In the plea agreement, Le admitted he offered first $500 and later $800 to FDA inspectors to allow the salon to keep the machine and other adulterated goods. The FDA official cooperated with the investigation and accepted the $800 bribe.
The plea agreement also called for Le and Ho to forfeit the $800 bribe, as well as adulterated or mislabeled assets, including nine skin light machines, four hand-held massagers, creams, bath salts and tweezers.
When they are sentenced, Le could receive up to two years in prison and Ho could be sentenced to one year in prison.
