Masseur accused of fondling a Swedish tourist. It wasn’t the first accusation about him

Update: After Sebastian Fomenko served five years probation, a judge in September 2023 ended that probation and withheld adjudication on the charge, sparing him a conviction.

A Fontainebleau hotel spa masseur was charged with sexual assault on a Swedish tourist months after another female client told the spa he rubbed his penis against her, according to the Florida Department of Health.

He is now barred from massaging female clients.

Fomenko, 32, pleaded not guilty to sexual battery without serious injury. His arrest report says he admitted to massaging a woman’s breasts and fondling her genitalia during a Dec. 31 massage at Lapis Spa at Fontainebleau.

That wasn’t the first time a Lapis Spa visitor complained about Fomenko, according to the Department of Health.

Earlier in 2017, the order against him states “a female client reported to Lapis Spa staff that she received a massage from Mr. Fomenko and that during the massage, Mr. Fomenko ... rubbed [his penis] against her body. This incident was not reported to law enforcement or the Department of Health.”

Lapis Spa has not returned two phone messages from the Miami Herald.

On New Year’s Eve, a 25-year-old from Sweden wearing only a bikini bottom lay on her stomach in Lapis Spa massage room No. 20 for a massage from Fomenko. Health department documents state the woman didn’t give Fomenko permission to massage her buttocks, but he did. Then, after he asked her to flip over, he “did not place a draping over her breasts.”

She also didn’t consent to Fomenko massaging her breasts, which the order against him stated Fomenko began doing with massage oil.

“Mr. Fomenko proceeded to rub Client E.A.’s abdomen and then slid his oiled, ungloved hand under Client E.A.’s bikini bottom,” the order read. A nurse examining the woman afterward saw evidence of penetration.

The arrest report said the woman “returned to her room crying.” Her family contacted Fontainebleau hotel security, then Miami Beach police.

This is the second consecutive month a Miami Beach masseur accused of sexual battery appears on the Department of Health’s monthly discipline report. Earlier in December 2017, a Tao Spa client accused Dominic Abosi of similar violations. Abosi also has been charged with sexual battery without serious injury.

This story was originally published April 12, 2018 at 1:20 PM with the headline "Masseur accused of fondling a Swedish tourist. It wasn’t the first accusation about him."