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New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy Revokes License of Massage Therapist for Alleged Sexual Misconduct Against Client
TRENTON – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced today that the New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy (“Board”) has permanently revoked the license of an Essex County massage therapist amid allegations he engaged in inappropriate and unwanted sexual contact with a female client during a massage session.
Peter Petrovic, a/k/a Jagadisha Peter Petrovic, is permanently barred from working as a massage therapist in New Jersey under an agreement he entered into with the Board to resolve allegations he groped and digitally penetrated a female client during a massage session in his office in Verona, NJ in 2020.
In a Final Consent Order filed with the Board on December 23, 2024, Petrovic agreed to immediately surrender his license to practice massage therapy in New Jersey, with such surrender to be deemed a permanent revocation with no possibility to reapply for licensure in the future.
“No client should ever have to fear being sexually exploited or abused while interacting with a licensed professional in New Jersey,” said Attorney General Platkin. “We take allegations of sexual misconduct by professionals very seriously and will rigorously investigate and hold accountable licensees that prey on the clients who trust them.”
“While the majority of massage therapists conduct themselves professionally and follow strict standards, the actions of a rogue few can cause immeasurable harm to clients and adversely impact the profession as a whole,” said Cari Fais, Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “By permanently barring this licensee from practice, we’re not only protecting the public, we’re sending a clear message that this conduct will not be tolerated.”
According to documents filed in the case, the alleged victim, identified as “Client 1,” was receiving therapeutic massage from Petrovic to assist with chronic pain management. During a massage session in July 2020, Petrovic allegedly inappropriately touched Client 1 while she lay on a massage table unclothed with a blanket over her.
Following an investigation into Client 1’s allegations, the State filed a Verified Complaint with the Board seeking to revoke Petrovic’s license. The Verified Complaint alleged, among other things, that Petrovic’s treatment of Client 1 violated the rules of professional conduct, including those prohibiting licensees from engaging in sexual contact with a client; engaging in activities that serve their own prurient interests or sexual gratification; and engaging in gross negligence, malpractice, or incompetence that endangers the safety and well-being of a client.
Under the terms contained in the Final Consent Order, Petrovic must immediately cease and desist from holding himself out as a massage and bodywork therapist and refrain from practice in New Jersey. He also must immediately cease and desist all client contact in any location, and is prohibited from charging, receiving, or sharing in any fee for massage or bodywork services rendered by others.
The State was represented in this matter by Deputy Attorneys General Cristina E. Ramundo and Yudelka Felipe, under the supervision of Section Chief Doreen A. Hafner, of the Professional Boards Prosecution Section, within the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Practice Group of the Division of Law. Investigators with the Enforcement Bureau within the Division of Consumer Affairs conducted the investigation.
Patients who believe that they have been treated by a licensed professional in an inappropriate manner can file an online complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.
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The mission of the Division of Consumer Affairs, within the Department of Law and Public Safety, is to protect the public from fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, and professional misconduct in the sale of goods and services in New Jersey through education, advocacy, regulation, and enforcement. The Division pursues its mission through its 51 professional and occupational boards that oversee 720,000 licensees in the state, its Regulated Business section that oversees 60,000 NJ registered businesses, as well as through its Office of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Securities, Charities Registration section, Office of Weights and Measures, and Legalized Games of Chance section.
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