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Panel finds former Penticton massage therapist committed sexual misconduct

Leonard Krekic lived or worked in White Rock, Surrey and Penticton at the time of the misconduct
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The College of Massage Therapists of B.C. found that alleged sexual misconduct of former registered massage therapist Leonard Krekic was accurate. (Unsplash photo)

A former Penticton massage therapist will have to wait to find out his fate for sexual misconduct on the job.

Leonard Krekic, who worked in Penticton and other cities in B.C., was found to have committed professional misconduct and unprofessional conduct while treating multiple female patients between 2012 and 2019 by a disciplinary panel on Aug. 5.

Six different former clients of Krekic filed allegations against him with they the College of Massage Therapists of B.C., beginning with an allegation filed in 2019. Their names were redacted in the published report outlining the reasons behind the panel’s decision.

Krekic lived or worked in White Rock, Surrey and Penticton over the time where he treated the patients, though only the last patient is identified as having been treated specifically in Penticton.

Beyond the allegations from the six patients, the college also found that in 2019, after issuing an order early into its investigation Krekic had failed to keep them up to date when he moved where he was offering services, failed to provide reports on the patients he saw, failed to have a chaperone present during his appointments with female patients, and continued to practice therapy without liability insurance for a period of time.

A suspension of Krekic’s registration as a massage therapist was put in place in Feb. 2020, and a hearing over the allegations took place in 2021. In October 2020, Krekic resigned from his CMTBC registration.

READ MORE: Hearing set for former massage therapist accused of sexual misconduct

In addition to multiple accounts of inappropriate touching of his patients, including their genitals, Krekic had multiple patients allege that he made inappropriate comments including offers to pray for his patients.

Krekic also entered into a close personal relationship with the sixth patient, who he used to help rent out his properties due to his ‘tarnished’ reputation.

The sixth patient stated that after moving out of an apartment she was renting from Krekic, she saw things clearly and immediately went to make a complaint.

The decision states that she was motivated because it was “intertwined with Christianity and with the manipulation…. I was very vulnerable and I believe that he saw that and he took advantage of it.”

Though the decision by the panel was made on Aug. 5, the college and Krekic will have to provide written submissions of appropriate penalties and costs before the panel issues a final decision on Krekic’s fate.

The full 186-page report outlining the reasons behind the panel’s decision is posted on the College’s website.

Two of the patients testified that they had gone to the RCMP with complaints against Krekic. None of the allegations have been brought before the court and Krekic does not appear to have a criminal record.

The Penticton RCMP were reached for comment and responded to state that they do not comment on the existence of investigations.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Brennan Phillips

About the Author: Brennan Phillips

Brennan was raised in the Okanagan and is thankful every day that he gets to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
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