Former massage therapist engaged in misconduct involving 6 patients, says regulator

Warning: This story contains graphicdetails.

The College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC) has determined that former B.C. massage therapist Leonard Krekic committed unprofessional conduct and professional misconductwith six patients between 2009 and 2019.

Krekic, who has practised in Penticton, White Rock and Surrey, faceda 12-day disciplinary committeehearing beginning in March, following claims made by six women who were treated by him over the 10-year period.

The former patients shared similar, disturbing stories aboutKrekic's behaviour while he treated them, includingaccusations that he failed to provide appropriate draping, placed his hands under their underwear, massagedtheir genitals and breasts, madeinappropriate comments, pressed his groin against them and insertedhis fingers into one woman's anus.

Some of the women claimed that Krekic shared inappropriate details about his personal life and religious beliefs, telling them his daughter had "daddy issues" asking whether he could pray for them, and saying that "God works through him to heal other people."

While the disciplinary penalty has yet to be decided, the full reasons for the decision span185 pages. The document lays out how, with each individual patient, Krekicbreached the CMTBC's code of conduct, and the college's reasons for finding the allegations credible.

"It is always the responsibility of the [registered massage therapist] to establish and maintain professional boundaries, and to re-establish professional boundaries with a patient. [...] He displayed no recognition of his own responsibility to maintain boundaries," reads one section.

"The panel accepted the evidence of each of the complainants and found that the college had proved each of the allegations set out in the citation to the requisite standard," reads a summary of the full decisionthe CMTBC's website.

Licence suspended since February 2020

Krekic was first told in April 2019 that heneeded to have a chaperonein the room for any appointments with female patients while the college investigated a complaint of sexual misconduct.

The college alleges that after the condition was in place, Krekic didn't let them know when he started practising in new places, failed to have a chaperone present for the entirety of an appointment with a female patient and practised without liability insurance for 15 days.

The decision also saysthat on some occasions chaperones had their back to the massage table, or were reading a book or an iPad during the appointment.

Krekic's licence was suspended in February 2020 after a woman filed a complaint alleging that he had touched her sexually while a chaperone was in the room and that he had contacted her inappropriately outside of work. Krekicthen resigned his registration with the college in October.

The woman also said that Krekic invited her to rent a suite in his income property by suggesting she could earn money by helping him manage the building. She says she moved there in 2019, but moved outafter Krekic entered her apartment without her permission, which Krekic denies.

The CMTBC has not stated when the disciplinary penalty for Krekic will be determined.