SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (TCN) — A 50-year-old woman was sentenced to four years in state prison for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2023 death of a woman following an illegal cosmetic procedure.
According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, Vivian Gomez flew to California from Florida to give a gluteal silicone injection to 34-year-old Christina Gourkani, an influencer who had gained a following for being a Kim Kardashian look-alike. Gomez performed the procedure in a room at the Marriott Hotel in Burlingame, California. NBC Bay Area reports these injections are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration due to health risks.
Soon after the injection, Gourkani became ill and her fiancé, who had come with her for the procedure, dialed 911. She died the next day of a pulmonary embolism and respiratory failure, according to the Daily Journal.
NBC Bay Area reports Gomez flew back home to Florida right away after the procedure and was arrested there on a warrant out of San Mateo County, California. She was returned to California to face charges and was released from jail on $200,000 bond.
Gomez was sentenced June 16 to four years in prison for felony involuntary manslaughter. She was also found guilty of practicing medicine without a license resulting in death, according to the Daily Journal.
According to an online fundraiser, Gourkani “was such a caring and loving free spirit that always took the time to bring a smile to anyone’s face she crossed paths with,” the New York Post reports.
Gomez does not intend to appeal the sentence, according to the Daily Journal. A restitution hearing has been scheduled for July 20.
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