A Surrey acupuncturist has been suspended and fined for allegedly running a bawdy house out of his Whalley office.
John Hong Hou Zhang had his licence to practise suspended in January, 2011 by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners (CTCMP).
Then, on Oct. 26, 2012, the CTCMP issued a fine of more than $20,000 in its penalty decision regarding alleged professional misconduct on the part of Zhang.
The CTCMP discipline panel alleged that Zhang's Surrey clinic, Hua Xia Traditional Chinese Medicine, located at 10118 King George Blvd., also sold the services of prostitutes.
During the discipline hearing, two male customers who were called as witnesses at the hearing testified that they paid for sexual services at the clinic, according to a news release issued by the CTCMP.
A Surrey bylaw enforcement officer who also testified described her suspicions that the premises was being used as an illegal bawdy house and, as a result, proceeded to conduct surveillance of the clinic with the assistance of the RCMP.
Photographs taken inside the clinic included pictures of two rooms that appeared to be set up as living accommodations for women, three cases of unopened condoms, condom wrappers, signs referring to pornographic activities as well as a woman clad in a short lingerie-like dress.
Zhang has been found guilty of professional misconduct by allowing his acupuncture clinic to be operated as a bawdy house. Zhang’s three-year suspension will continue until January 2014.
He has also been ordered to pay a fine and costs in the amount of $21,545.
Should Zhang seek to resume practice in 2014, he will be required to cooperate with and pay for audits of his practice or premises as directed by the college.
Mayor Dianne Watts said if Zhang wants to open shop again, he can look for another city.
"If he's taken a legitimate business like acupuncture and turned it into a bawdy house, obviously he has no interest in practicing acupuncture, so we're not interested in giving him a business license," Watts said.
The CTCMA is the governing body for the profession of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists of British Columbia and was established under the Health Professions Act (HPA) which governs all health professions in the province. It is the duty of the CTCMA to establish, monitor and enforce standards of practice to enhance the quality of practice and reduce incompetent or unethical practice among registrants.