Warning: Readers may find some of the allegations in this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.
A former Penticton, B.C., massage therapist will face a 12-day disciplinary hearing before the profession’s regulatory body over allegations he molested six female patients and breached an order requiring him to have a chaperone present when treating women.
According to a notice posted to the College of Massage Therapists of B.C., website, Leonard Krekic, who has practiced in White Rock, Penticton, and Surrey, will go before the discipline committee for a hearing, starting March 8.
The citation outlines a series of allegations raised by six women about Krekic’s actions during their massage appointments, from 2012 to 2019.
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The allegations include massaging his patient’s genitalia, pressing his groin against them, placing his hands underneath a woman’s undergarment and massaging her breasts, and in one case, inserting his finger (s) into a woman’s anus “for a non-therapeutic and/or sexual purpose.”
In April 2019, the regulator ordered Krekic to have a chaperone present “at all times” during the consultation, assessment, and treatment of female patients, after the college received a complaint about alleged sexual misconduct and was investigating.
Krekic is accused of breaching that order by failing to inform the college of practicing at new locations, failing to provide weekly reports about the patients he was treating and who the chaperone was, and failing to have the chaperone present for the entirety of an appointment in summer 2019.
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Krekic also allegedly practiced without liability insurance between Nov. 1 and Nov. 16, 2019.
Krekic was suspended by the college’s inquiry committee in February 2020 after fresh sexual misconduct allegations surfaced, while a chaperone was present in the room.
The female patient, only identified as AA, said Krekic also communicated with her by phone and text message and tried to enter “into a romantic or sexual relationship with her.”
AA moved into a rental suite that Krekic owned, and he allegedly began entering her suite without notice and “texting her excessively.”
The college said his alleged conduct in relation to AA “raises issues of vulnerability and power imbalance.”
“The Inquiry Committee panel was satisfied that there is a prima facie case supporting AA’s allegations and that her complaint was not manifestly unfounded, unreliable, or exaggerated,” the college wrote at the time of suspending his licence.
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“The Inquiry Committee panel found the allegations, in this case, to be extremely serious,” the college said.
Krekic then resigned his registration in October 2020.
Krekic is also facing a lawsuit filed by one of his female patients in December 2019, accusing him of assault and battery of a sexual nature.
The woman said she noticed another person in the room with them, but the defendant said the person was job shadowing.
“The Plaintiff trusted this Defendant because he continually professed his faith as a Christian… a typical massage session included soft Christian music,” the notice of civil claim alleged.
The woman initially named the college as a defendant, alleging the regulator failed to protect her from abuse, but that part of the lawsuit was dropped in April 2020.
In his response, Krekic denies any wrongdoing.
“The Defendant expressly denies that he took any actions that were inappropriate, sexual in nature, or in any way contrary to the CMTBC’s Code of Conduct,” the response stated.
None of the allegations have been proven. Krekic is not facing any criminal charges and the BC Prosection says it has “no information to share.”
Krekic has not responded to a request for comment.
