Harassment Warning for Massage Professionals
I am reposting this recent forum entry and update from www.MassageProfessionals.com. Let it be a warning to all massage therapists and other service providers who encounter clients or employers asking for out of the ordinary treatment, appointment times or who just give you a funny feeling in your gut. Always listen to your inner voice and wisdom!
Warning to All MTs in the NY, NJ, and South Florida Areas
Man Calling with Sham Job Offers Stalking Practitioners
Update, March 27: We have received reports that this man has also pulled the same con on massage therapists in the South Florida area.
ABMP received the following letter from Meg Darnell, LMT , Director of Alumni Services, Swedish Institute. In the past, some ABMP members have been harassed by this individual. We take this warning very seriously and ask that you please pass on the information to other therapists.
March 2010
I am once again sending this to alert you of someone who has tried to prey on massage therapists in the past.
I am sorry to have to report that the man named Steven Sung, also known as Steven Min and Steven Yamamoto, who has been soliciting massage therapists with dubious get-rich schemes for the last eight years, is back on the scene.
This time he calls therapists and offers work in his spas and says that he would like a late-night meeting. It has also been reported that he is in New Jersey and has tracked down a therapist that he met the last time he was preying on our profession. The phone calls come late at night and early in the morning and are repetitive. The therapist who first reported this to me contacted the police who in response called him and told him to stop. This seems to have set off a rampage of web postings suggesting that the therapist has investigations against her and worse.
I am sending this email to as many therapists as I can reach, as well as to the New York State Board and the New Jersey Board of Massage Therapy, with the hope of reaching all massage therapists in our area. I am reaching out to a lawyer and an investigator who were both helpful the last time this man was contacting therapists. I am not sure what, if anything, can be done to stop this man.
While it may seem obvious to some, I am strongly suggesting that everyone ignore his phone calls. Do not engage, do not suggest that we know what he's up to or try to stop him, as I believe it will cause more phone calls and harassment. Just ignore him. Originally he had just one phone number, but now it seems there are many and they are from New Jersey. These job offers are not legitimate and you may be at risk by responding to them. At one time I believed this man was harmless but have come to believe that he may be dangerous.
Many therapists from our school, as well as the schools in our surrounding area, have contacted me because they have seen or heard about the school's warnings and did not respond to his solicitations. Some, unfortunately, have not heeded the warnings and have met with him--only to find that his offer amounts to nothing.
He is contacting therapists in the entire tri-state area. I implore you to ignore these solicitations and to pass this warning on to your colleagues.
As always, graduates, please remember to trust your instincts. If something feels funny or strange, listen to your wisdom. As a general rule, if something sounds too good to be true, it very well may be.
Meg Darnell, LMT
Director of Alumni Services, Swedish Institute
New York, NY
Warning to All MTs in the NY, NJ, and South Florida Areas
Man Calling with Sham Job Offers Stalking Practitioners
Update, March 27: We have received reports that this man has also pulled the same con on massage therapists in the South Florida area.
ABMP received the following letter from Meg Darnell, LMT , Director of Alumni Services, Swedish Institute. In the past, some ABMP members have been harassed by this individual. We take this warning very seriously and ask that you please pass on the information to other therapists.
March 2010
I am once again sending this to alert you of someone who has tried to prey on massage therapists in the past.
I am sorry to have to report that the man named Steven Sung, also known as Steven Min and Steven Yamamoto, who has been soliciting massage therapists with dubious get-rich schemes for the last eight years, is back on the scene.
This time he calls therapists and offers work in his spas and says that he would like a late-night meeting. It has also been reported that he is in New Jersey and has tracked down a therapist that he met the last time he was preying on our profession. The phone calls come late at night and early in the morning and are repetitive. The therapist who first reported this to me contacted the police who in response called him and told him to stop. This seems to have set off a rampage of web postings suggesting that the therapist has investigations against her and worse.
I am sending this email to as many therapists as I can reach, as well as to the New York State Board and the New Jersey Board of Massage Therapy, with the hope of reaching all massage therapists in our area. I am reaching out to a lawyer and an investigator who were both helpful the last time this man was contacting therapists. I am not sure what, if anything, can be done to stop this man.
While it may seem obvious to some, I am strongly suggesting that everyone ignore his phone calls. Do not engage, do not suggest that we know what he's up to or try to stop him, as I believe it will cause more phone calls and harassment. Just ignore him. Originally he had just one phone number, but now it seems there are many and they are from New Jersey. These job offers are not legitimate and you may be at risk by responding to them. At one time I believed this man was harmless but have come to believe that he may be dangerous.
Many therapists from our school, as well as the schools in our surrounding area, have contacted me because they have seen or heard about the school's warnings and did not respond to his solicitations. Some, unfortunately, have not heeded the warnings and have met with him--only to find that his offer amounts to nothing.
He is contacting therapists in the entire tri-state area. I implore you to ignore these solicitations and to pass this warning on to your colleagues.
As always, graduates, please remember to trust your instincts. If something feels funny or strange, listen to your wisdom. As a general rule, if something sounds too good to be true, it very well may be.
Meg Darnell, LMT
Director of Alumni Services, Swedish Institute
New York, NY
Posted by Felicia Brown LMBT at 4/26/2010 12:43 PM 
Categories: General
Tags: harassment scams crisis ethics
Categories: General
Tags: harassment scams crisis ethics
Has Meg Darnell or anyone else tried notifying the local or State District Attorney to suggest a "Cease & Desist" order on this person?
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That's a good question, Michael, but one I don't know the answer to. The information was posted on www.massageprofessionals.com by Lara Evans Bracciante. You might contact her to learn more about what's going on.
It's so sad that people can't automatically trust a job inquiry, opportunity or employer to be legit these days. My husband just had to file a lawsuit against a former employer - (he's not a massage therapist by the way) for back pay of almost $5000. True he let it slide for too long but he trusted the employer to make good on his obligations. I guess the lesson for the day is to watch your back and be sure people are not taking advantage of you.
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