Influencer accused of disappearing after canceling class offers refunds to NYC customers, but there's a catch
Multiple women said a TikTok beauty influencer disappeared after they paid her thousands of dollars for a cosmetics training course that never took place.
Days after CBS News New York's first report aired, the influencer has reemerged and is offering some women refunds, but there's a catch.
Women say beauty influencer stopped responding to questions about refunds, rescheduling
Esthetician Marley Matamoros said last year, she paid $3,500 for a course on permanent makeup in New York City taught by Florida-based influencer Melanny Restrepo Herrera.
But Matamoros and two other women – Ashley Landin and Michelle Echeverry – claim the influencer canceled the course, then stopped responding when they messaged her to try to reschedule or get a refund. One of the women said Restrepo Herrera even blocked her on social media.
"Like, I had no clue what to do," Matamoros said.
CBS News New York investigator Mahsa Saeidi tried to get in touch with Restrepo Herrera. She even asked a reporter from CBS News Miami to stop by her listed address. The reporter spoke to a man who identified himself as Restrepo Herrera's stepfather. That man said she lived at the home but was not there at the time.
After CBS News New York's report aired Sunday night, Restrepo Herrera's Instagram and TikTok accounts were deleted.
Customers asked to sign documents in order to get refund
Wednesday morning, after weeks of radio silence, the women said Restrepo Herrera sent them an email, writing that her business, the Luxury Ink, "came to the conclusion that in your particular case, we will be issuing a refund."
There is a catch, however. In order to get the refund, Restrepo Herrera said the women must sign what she calls "corresponding documents" that are being sent to them.
"I think that she should just still give us the refund without having to sign any documents. I'm not sure what the documents are for," Landin said.
Restrepo Herrera's attorney, who was included on the email, told CBS News New York, "We are taking care of this matter separately with each Client" and "all the information is confidential."
The women are not sure what is in the documents they will be asked to sign.
Saeidi asked Restrepo Herrera's attorney about the documents, and if Restrepo Herrera is still tattooing eyebrows and teaching classes.
The attorney said, "My Client is not interested in providing any information," but in the email, Restrepo Herrera did apologize for the "inconvenience."
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office has a detective assigned to this case.
As of now, Florida Department of Health records show Restrepo Herrera does not have the license or permits to do permanent makeup.
On Restrepo Herrera's website, Luxury Ink Academy, she's still advertising a course set to happen in Dallas in June.
