A licensed Orlando physician has admitted to illegally injecting silicone oil into patients’ buttocks during cosmetic procedures performed at his office and home, despite the practice being banned due to serious health risks.
Nhan Pham, 54, of Orlando, pleaded guilty to receiving and offering to deliver an adulterated medical device, a violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, according to an announcement by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. Pham now faces up to three years in federal prison, with sentencing scheduled for August 14, 2025.
Between 2015 and 2019, Pham purchased silicone oil online and used it in unauthorized gluteal enhancement procedures, misleading patients by calling the injections “safe,” “natural,” and falsely claiming the substance would dissolve over time. However, silicone oil is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for body contouring, and the agency has repeatedly warned of the serious health complications it can cause.
Patients later reported sharp pain, inflammation, discoloration, itchiness, burning sensations, and other long-term side effects. Authorities said that in 2019, Pham even offered silicone injections to an undercover law enforcement officer.
According to the FDA, silicone oil injections, particularly for cosmetic body contouring, pose serious health risks and are not FDA-approved. The dangers of these injections include the potential for silicone to migrate to other parts of the body, causing life-threatening conditions like embolisms. Patients may also experience severe inflammation, pain, and permanent tissue damage or necrosis at the injection site. In some cases, the injections can lead to infections that are difficult to treat, and the substance itself is hard to remove once injected. Additionally, some patients may develop autoimmune-like symptoms due to conditions such as Silicone Embolism Syndrome or Silicone-Induced Granulomatous Disease.
The investigation was led by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, with support from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu is prosecuting the case.
