Sexual Misconduct Widespread At National Massage Chain: Reports

NANUET, NY — The Nanuet location of Massage Envy, a popular national chain of massage parlors, has been the subject of two complaints in the past several years, according to Clarkstown Police. Those women are among many who describe experiencing sexual misconduct at one of the chain's many national locations.

A report Sunday from BuzzFeed News compiled statistics and stories from more than 180 women who have accused massage therapists at Massage Envy of sexual assault. The company has repeatedly ignored the allegations, BuzzFeed reported. BuzzFeed cited court records, police reports and other complaints from women who reported being groped and penetrated by massage therapists at Massage Envy locations across the country.

Neither the Nanuet location nor any of the other five Massage Envy locations in the Hudson Valley were mentioned in the BuzzFeed report.

One of the victims BuzzFeed cites, Susan Ingram, called her local Massage Envy an hour after therapist James Deiter allegedly groped her during a session in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and pleaded with the staff to bar him from giving massages. The manager at the store told Ingram that Deiter was in a session with another client and could not be disturbed. Deiter would later plead guilty to sexully molesting nine women while working at Massage Envy.

In an email to BuzzFeed, a lawyer for Massage Envy said: "We hold franchise owners accountable to our policies and, when we say nothing is more important to us than treating clients with respect and giving them a safe, professional experience, we mean it."

Clarkstown police said they had two incidents on record about the Massage Envy in Nanuet.

The first offense reported was in May 2013. The victim stated that while she was getting a massage, she was touched inappropriately. The victim did not want to have the masseuse charged with a sexual offence, said Public Information Officer Peter Walker. The masseuse, Hewitt Akal of Middletown, NY, was charged with a felony for unauthorized practice of a profession and with violating a town ordinance for failing to apply for a license. New York state law requires massage therapists to be licensed and follow regulations for continuing re-certification.

The second report was in March 2014. The victim reported that was was touched inappropriately during a massage. She wanted the incident reported but she never followed up on pursuing charges, Walker said.

The NYPD has investigated two complaints about Massage Envy staffers at one location in Manhattan, according to the New York Daily News.

Here is the list of Massage Envy franchise locations in the Hudson Valley, according to the company's website:

• Bedford Hills
• Brewster
• Monroe
• Nanuet
• Rye Brook
• Scarsdale

Head over to BuzzFeed for the whole story.

PHOTO: Massage Envy in Nanuet via Google maps