NORTH MIAMI BEACH – A man who said he was a holistic healer and who ran a holistic/acupuncture center out of his North Miami Beach home was arrested and police are asking anyone else who felt that the services provided at the center were inappropriate to contact detectives.

Hoa Nguyen was arrested on two counts of battery after he inappropriately touched a female patient. They also said Nguyen, 76, had been providing acupuncture services without a license for several years.

The woman had been receiving acupuncture treatments from Nguyen at the defendant’s home twice a week since June, she told police. On Aug. 11 at 6 p.m., the woman went to her scheduled appointment and entered the treatment room where she removed her shirt. She told police, as was usually the case, she kept her underwear, including a bra, and her skirt on.

The victim said the Nguyen provided acupuncture to her back and lifted her skirt to access the back of her legs. He returned an hour after the treatment to remove the needles. The victim said he then unhooked her bra to “rub the puncture areas to reduce swelling” and told the woman to roll onto her back. He then began to fondle her and told her “You are a beautiful woman,” the victim said.

The victim said that he also began touching her beneath her skirt and underwear. In an effort to leave the room, she told Nguyen she needed to use the bathroom. As she grabbed for her belongings, Nguyen told her that she could “walk naked to the bathroom” since no one else was there. She told police that was when she realized they were the only two people in the home and at previous times when she had been there, other patients were at the house.

After contacting police, the victim returned to Nguyen for another appointment equipped with a recording device. On Aug. 24, she had a conversation with Nguyen where he admitted to touching areas of her body “as part of her treatment.” Detectives from the North Miami Beach police department were parked across the street and were able to hear the conversation through the device.

The victim told police that she did not give Nguyen consent to remove her underwear and skirt and that the defendant touched her against her will.

Nyguen was arrested at the home two days later.

Anyone who has concerns about their interactions with Nguyen should call North Miami Police detectives at (305) 948-2940, ext. 2834