The British Columbia Court of Appeal has ordered the interim release of a Vancouver-area medical aesthetics spa owner who was convicted earlier this year on seven counts of sexual assault and sentenced to 11 years in prison. The release is granted pending the hearing of his appeal.
Bail Conditions and Court's Reasoning
Justice Susan Griffin heard the bail application in late November. The convicted man, Farshad Khojsteh Kashani, proposed his release under a strict regimen of 24-hour house arrest with electronic monitoring. In her decision dated November 28, Justice Griffin agreed to the release under these conditions.
The judge noted several factors in her ruling. She pointed out that Kashani had complied with all bail conditions prior to his trial. Furthermore, the Crown prosecution agreed that he does not currently pose a safety risk to the public. Justice Griffin was also satisfied that Kashani, despite having ties to Iran, would not flee and would surrender himself into custody if his appeal fails.
Background of the Convicted Man and the Crimes
Kashani, 51, was born in Iran, where he studied medicine and worked as a general practitioner for approximately four years. He immigrated to Canada with his wife around 2011 when he was 37 and became a Canadian citizen in 2017.
Unable to meet the English language proficiency requirements to practice medicine in B.C., he instead trained in aesthetic procedures. He subsequently opened and operated a medical aesthetics spa from 2017 until 2022.
The case against him began in May 2019 when a client reported to police that she had been sexually assaulted during a procedure. A second client came forward with a similar report two years later. After police issued a news release and the case received media coverage, five additional complainants emerged with parallel allegations. Kashani was ultimately charged with seven counts of sexual assault.
In April 2025, he was found guilty on all counts. The sentencing judge described the offences as "highly invasive." Justice Griffin, in her bail decision, detailed that the assaults involved, in some instances, vaginal penetration with a medical instrument, digital penetration, and touching of genital areas, often inflicting physical pain.
She also noted hallmarks of planning, stating that four of the complainants had initially visited the clinic for other treatments before Kashani encouraged them to undergo the procedure during which they were assaulted. A publication ban protects the identity of all complainants and witnesses.
The Path to an 11-Year Sentence and the Appeal
At sentencing, the judge acknowledged that Kashani had no prior criminal record and had generally led a productive life, presenting a low risk of reoffending. However, the court emphasized that the gravity of the offences made denunciation and deterrence paramount, necessitating a substantial penitentiary term of 11 years.
It is this sentence that Kashani is now appealing. His release on bail is not an indication of the appeal's merit but a decision based on the specific criteria for interim release set by the Court of Appeal. He remains convicted, and his freedom is conditional and temporary, lasting only until his appeal is heard and decided.
