Metro Vancouver RMT quietly charged with sexual assault of patient

Editor’s note: The accused was acquitted. The decision was announced in court on September 27, according to the BC Prosecution Service. 

A registered massage therapist based in Surrey, BC, is facing a sexual assault charge for allegedly touching a client inappropriately during treatment.

Aydin Nozhat was charged with one count of sexual assault in June 2022 in connection with an incident that occurred in Surrey on May 30, 2022, the BC Prosecution Service confirmed to Daily Hive.

Neither police nor prosecutors issued a public alert at the time.

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The College of Massage Therapists of BC (CMTBC) banned Nozhat from treating female patients in a July 2022 discipline action, citing a sexual assault investigation.

The college received a complaint from the victim on May 31, 2022, and said the allegations were serious and concerning. Nozhat allegedly “engaged in sexual misconduct by engaging in non-therapeutic touching of sensitive areas of the patient’s body,” the college said.

Surrey RCMP confirmed it received a sexual assault report on May 30 about an incident that occurred during the course of treatment at a clinic on Croydon Drive. The force has issued alerts about massage therapists charged with sexual assault in the past but stayed silent about Nozhat at the time.

“We do media releases based on investigational needs and/or public safety concerns. Two investigations that appear similar on the surface may follow different investigations avenues. We take all factors into consideration when making the decision to do, or not to do a media release,” Cpl. Vanessa Munn said.

Nozhat is scheduled to return to court for trial on September 6, 2023.

In the meantime, CMTBC has stipulated he must post a notice that he’s banned from treating women in a visible place in his clinic and on his website.

Body Techs

Nozhat appears to work at Body Techs clinic at 3038 Croyden Drive in Surrey. Timeslots with him appear on the clinic’s online booking tool, but they have a note that clients must call or email the clinic to secure the appointment. There’s also a note on the clinic’s website that he’s prohibited from treating female patients.

Daily Hive has reached out to Body Techs for comment.

According to Nozhat’s online biography at the clinic, he had a 17-year professional basketball career and has a master’s degree in microbiology from Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran. He received his equivalency from the University of British Columbia, but he “wanted a career that was more involved with people,” and trained as a massage therapist once he arrived in Canada.