Massage therapy chain Massage Envy was slapped with a lawsuit Monday alleging the company’s employees sexually assaulted clients.
The suit, filed in San Mateo County, claims that at least five women, and possibly dozens more, were sexually assaulted at multiple Massage Envy locations across California.
One of the alleged assaults reportedly happened at the Burlingame site.
Bobby Thompson, of Thompson Law Offices in Burlingame, said the lawsuit is being brought on behalf of women throughout California, from Orange County to Sacramento County.
A second lawsuit has been filed against Massage Envy in Pennsylvania.
"There’s no more vulnerable place than in a closed room for a woman, or a male for that matter, with their clothes off, face down, with some stranger's hands on them in intimate parts of their body," said Brian Kent, attorney with Philadelphia-based Laffey, Bucci & Kent.
Among the claims, attorneys say, is that a massage therapist named Brandon Davis inappropriately touched a woman during a massage at the Burlingame location.
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A man by the same name is facing multiple criminal counts of sexual battery in San Mateo County for allegedly attacking 13 women. But court documents don’t indicate where the battery happened. A receptionist at the Burlingame Massage Envy told NBC Bay Area that Davis no longer works there.
The company released a statement Monday, saying in part: "The franchise location informed us of only one inappropriate conduct incident involving Brandon Davis, which resulted in his termination and restriction, meaning he is not eligible to work at any Massage Envy franchise locations. No other incidents involving Mr. Davis were reported to us."
The California Massage Therapy Council said its records show a Brandon Davis whose certification is suspended.
The attorneys said they will be filing more lawsuits against Massage Envy in the coming weeks.
