Dr. Arian Mowlavi, a plastic surgeon who branded himself “Dr. Laguna” on social media, is facing two felony counts of battery with serious bodily injury months after he reached a $6-million settlement with three dozen former patients.
On social media accounts and his websites, Mowlavi touted himself as a “renowned body sculptor” and charged tens of thousands of dollars for some procedures. But in recent years, Mowlavi has come under scrutiny from the state medical board and former patients, who allege the doctor pressured them into additional procedures, made lewd comments when examining them and in some cases botched their surgeries.
A criminal complaint filed in Orange County Superior Court in July offered very few details on the alleged crimes but referenced Mowlavi using “surgical tools” during the commission of the felonies, which prosecutors say occurred in July and August 2021.