HOUSTON – The owner and operator of a Houston cosmetic surgery center, who has been wanted since Friday, surrendered to Harris County law enforcement on Tuesday, six months after his employee was arrested in an undercover sting.
Dr. Rodolfo Giraldi, 82, turned himself in on a felony charge of practicing medicine without a license connected to several women who claim they had botched breast augmentation surgeries at his clinic under the care of an unlicensed doctor.
According to Houston Police, a total of 14 women have come forward with horrifying claims about complications from their surgeries.
Giraldi allegedly encouraged 53-year-old Alexander Padilla, who the victims say operated on them, to do things only a doctor can at the Houston Aesthetic Center off the Katy Freeway.
“The whole clinic was in on promoting and encouraging and aiding Alex Padilla to be practicing medicine without a license, which put all of those women in danger because he’s never had a license as a doctor in the United States,” said Sheila Hansel, assistant district attorney at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
A 39-year-old mother, who asked for her identity to be withheld, told only KPRC 2 she paid nearly $17,000 for a breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and hernia repair. She hoped the cosmetic procedures would make her feel ready to tackle the world, she said.
“I was actually excited because I had twins and I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m going to get my body back’,” she said.
But the complications started almost immediately, including an estimated six infections and a hematoma.
“The blood had started dripping out,” she said, “Like three days after. It was a slow leak.”
A Michigan woman who traveled to Houston for a reduction and lift ended up going home with “a hole on her left breast which was leaking,” according to court records. She claims she got an infection in her blood stream and had to spend 12 days in the hospital.
Reached by phone, she told KPRC 2 she’s still dealing with mental anguish and physical problems related to the procedure she received in Houston.
They are two of more than a dozen women who claim they suffered after going under Padilla’s knife.
“I didn’t get any of my dollars worth,” the 39-year-old mother said.
She went to the Houston Aesthetic Center in October to get her issues fixed by Padilla, but had to leave because officers from HPD’s Major Offenders Unit arrested him in an undercover sting operation.
Prosecutors say of the victims they have talked to, all say they only had a quick introduction with Giraldi who then left Padilla to care for them.
“We all need justice. We received care from basically a fake doctor,” the mother said. “I always have those scars to remind me of all of this traumatic experience. It’s never going to go away.”
When Padilla was arrested, Giraldi spoke to KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry over the phone and claimed everything alleged was inaccurate. He said someone was trying to slander Padilla, and KPRC 2 was getting caught up in that scheme.
When asked if he had seen Padilla’s license, he didn’t answer the question and said goodbye.
Giraldi could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening. An attorney representing him didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Prosecutors said a red flag in this case was that victims had to pay for their medical services with cash.
It’s recommended to always check your doctor’s credentials through the Texas Medical Board’s license lookup. While Giraldi is licensed, Padilla was not.
Giraldi is free on a $10,000 bond with an arraignment scheduled for May.
Padilla has been indicted by a Harris County grand jury on five felonies, including three counts of practicing medicine without a license and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.