An Alberta massage therapist is being accused of recording female clients without their consent and is now facing voyeurism charges.
RCMP were contacted on Monday after an IT technician reported concerning video files that he found while repairing a laptop computer for a client.
Police collected the computer and launched an investigation.
Investigators say the videos were of female clients and believe they were made without their knowledge or consent.
“The videos in question appear to depict female clients of the massage therapy clinic being recorded changing and undressing, without their knowledge or consent,” said RCMP Corporal Curtis Peters. “I don’t know at this point the duration of time this has been happening but our preliminary estimates, at this stage in the investigation, show that there’s hundreds of videos that will have to be checked.”
On Wednesday, Mark Henning Oliver Blessmann was charged with two counts of voyeurism and released from custody.
A warrant was issued on Thursday on a Carstairs property, where Blessman operated a massage therapy clinic called Blessmann’s Day Spa.
“Now our investigators have completed a search warrant at the business, They’ve seized some computers as well as documents about the clients and attendance and we’re going to compare those client records as well as the video that has been seized and attempt to identify any additional victims,” said Peters.
The computer is being examined by the RCMP’s Tech Crimes unit along with records from the clinic to identify those women who were victimized.
Investigators say the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta has been notified of the allegations and Blessmann’s license to practice was suspended.
Police say they will contact anyone who may have been a victim and that there may be additional charges.
“As the investigation unfolds and additional victims are located, I do anticipate that there will be more charges, yes,” said Cpl. Peters. “I would hope that individuals don’t take justice into their own hands and let the investigation take its course and let the judicial process take its course. Certainly, it’s a huge violation of privacy that’s alleged here and it’s a concern for people involved so we’ll work with them and our Victim’s Services Unit will be in touch with them as well to help them in the process going forward.”
Blessmann is scheduled to appear in Didsbury Provincial Court on the charges on November 6.
