Surgeon of Influencer Who Died After Cosmetic Surgery Allegedly Admits She Did Not Have Medical Degree: Reports By Luke Chinman

New details have been revealed about Italian influencer Yulia Burtseva’s cosmetic surgeon less than two weeks after the internet personality died following a buttock augmentation procedure.

On Jan. 4, Burtseva — who was known by an audience of over 73,000 followers on Instagram — underwent surgery at a private clinic while on a trip to Moscow, but she was rushed to the hospital and died of anaphylactic shock following the procedure, Russian news outlets RIA Novosti, Kommersant, and MSK1 reported. She was 38.

According to RIA Novosti and Kommersant, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Moscow opened a criminal case on Jan. 5 on suspicion of causing death by negligence due to improper performance of professional duties, and charges were brought against the clinic employee who performed her surgery. 

According to a new statement from the investigative committee obtained by RIA Novosti, Burtseva’s surgeon allegedly did not have a medical degree but performed the procedure anyway.

The suspect — who was previously identified as a native of Tajikistan — has since been placed under house arrest and charged with “illegally performing medical activities resulting in the death of a person through negligence,” per the statement, reported RIA Novosti. The statement adds that the suspect allegedly failed to perform an allergy test on Burtseva before her procedure and had personally purchased materials that she used during the surgery.

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Burtseva was known online for sharing her family life, including her marriage to husband Giuseppe, as well as her young daughter. Her Instagram said that she lived in Naples, Italy, with her husband.

The internet personality seemingly last updated her Instagram account on Dec. 5, sharing a video of her daughter. 

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On the morning of her surgery, MSK1 reported, Burtseva also shared a video to VK, a Russian social media platform. “Good morning Moscow😘,” penned Burtseva in text overlaying a video from Cafe Pushkin, a coffee shop in Moscow.