New York City, New York — A Manhattan beauty clinic is facing serious allegations after three elderly women accused the business of using relentless sales tactics to pressure them into spending more than $800,000 on expensive cosmetic treatments and beauty products.
According to a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, the women claim employees at Olle Beauty Clinic manipulated, intimidated and emotionally pressured them into making purchases they otherwise would never have agreed to.
The clinic, however, denies all wrongdoing and says the allegations are false.
Woman Claims She Spent $675,000 Over Three Years
The newest plaintiff, 76-year-old Phyllis Sousa, alleges she spent approximately $675,000 at the Upper East Side spa between 2022 and 2025.
According to the lawsuit, Sousa says employees repeatedly pressured her into purchasing additional treatments and beauty products.
She claims that whenever she tried to decline further services, staff members allegedly berated her and attempted to make her feel guilty until she agreed to continue spending money.
The lawsuit characterizes the products and services as ineffective “snake oil” treatments and alleges the clinic relied on psychological pressure rather than legitimate customer demand.
Two More Women Describe Similar Experiences
The lawsuit also includes allegations from 87-year-old Dinah Evan, who claims she was charged more than $27,000 in December 2025 for what she describes as a fraudulent membership after employees allegedly cornered her and demanded an immediate decision.
Another plaintiff, 77-year-old Elizabeth Childs-Johnson, first brought legal action earlier this year after alleging she was persuaded to spend $105,000 on facial treatments and other services.
According to her complaint, an employee initially drew her into the spa with compliments before convincing her to purchase 12 facial treatments for $40,000.
When those sessions were nearly complete, she alleges employees again pressured her into buying additional treatments they claimed originated in Japan.
Recalling the encounter, Childs-Johnson said:
“It all happened in a matter of minutes.”
She added:
“I was stunned. I hardly said a word, all I really did was hand over my credit cards.”
Attorney Alleges Business Targeted Elderly Customers
Attorney Andrew Kincaid, who represents the three women, claims the allegations reveal a broader pattern of targeting older customers who were alone.
“It’s a pattern of behavior that appears to center on targeting … elderly women above a certain age who are alone.”
He further alleged:
“Getting them off the street, getting them into an enclosed private location and pressuring them to do things that they would ordinarily never agree to.”
The lawsuit also claims the clinic operated through multiple business entities with different addresses, payment records and shared email accounts, making it difficult for customers to understand who they were doing business with.
According to the complaint, the arrangement created a confusing paper trail that plaintiffs argue complicated efforts to challenge the charges.
Spa Denies All Allegations
The beauty clinic has denied the accusations.
Attorney Avram Turkel, representing Olle Beauty Clinic, rejected the claims and said the plaintiffs willingly returned to the business on multiple occasions.
“[The three women] were our client’s repeat and valued customers. At the time of each purchase, they acknowledged the return policy and signed receipts,” Turkel said in a statement.
The lawsuit remains pending, and the allegations have not been proven in court. A judge will ultimately determine whether the plaintiffs’ claims have legal merit.
What are your thoughts on this lawsuit? Do you think stronger consumer protections are needed to prevent aggressive sales tactics targeting older adults? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments below.
