Penticton massage therapist committed multiple acts of sexual misconduct | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Light Rain  8.6°C

Vernon News

Penticton massage therapist committed multiple acts of sexual misconduct

Leonard (Len) Krekic.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Len Krekic

A former Penticton massage therapist has been found to have committed numerous acts of sexual misconduct against multiple women.

Following a three-week hearing, the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia made the finding against Leonard Krekic after half a dozen women made complaints to the regulator about his behaviour.

According to an Aug. 5 College of Massage Therapists of B.C. decision, Krekic practiced in Surrey and Penticton when the incidents took place.

The decision says in 2012 while working in Surrey, Krekic stuck his finger into the anus of a patient. He also touched the patient's labia and put his hands under her clothes without permission.

Two years later he told another patient who was a Christian that "God would use him" to help her and that God works through him to heal people.

He then got the patient to straddle him while he was seated and pressed his groin into the patient's groin.

The decision says Krekic touched another patient's vagina and pressed his groin against their hand.

While the incidents appear criminal in nature, it does not seem that any criminal charges have been laid against the former massage therapist.

In 2019 he massaged a patient's breasts without consent and again pushed his groin into their hand.

In the same year, Krekic touched another patient's vagina and told the patient he would pray for them.

In 2019 Krekic rented a suite in his house to a patient and told her to keep the living arrangement quiet otherwise he would get into trouble with the regulator.

That year, Krekic was ordered by the College to only treat female patients if a chaperone was present in the room.

He later launched a lawsuit against the College saying the restriction meant it was impossible for him to make a living.

In 2020 the regulator suspended his license.

According to the lengthy 67,000-word decision, Krekic was often "inconsistent and vague" during the three-week hearing. On other occasions, he was "vague and evasive."

The decision says Krekic had failed to provide the College with paperwork during the investigation and was also found to have practiced for a short while without insurance.

Ultimately, the College found Krekic committed 36 acts of professional misconduct or unprofessional conduct.

What penalty and costs Kretic will face will be decided at a later date.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2022
iNFOnews

  • Popular penticton News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile