According to a press release from Cobb District Attorney Joyette Holmes, two ex-doctors and a medical assistant were convicted of multiple felony counts related to the Hello Beautiful cosmetic surgery clinic in Vinings.

Nathaniel Johnson III, whose license had been revoked, Peter Ulbrich, whose license was suspended for other reasons, and medical assistant Shannon Williams, were each convicted.

The charges in the case included racketeering, theft by deception and practicing medicine without a license.

The DA’s press release states:

In 2014, Johnson was convicted in Fulton County of Medicaid fraud, conspiracy to defraud the state, and practicing medicine without a license. As part of his sentence, Johnson was ordered to surrender his medical license and was prohibited from practicing medicine. 

The evidence in this case showed that when he was released from jail in early 2015, Johnson went right back to work at the “Hello Beautiful” clinic.  Ulbrich, who was a doctor at the time, was brought on to lend legitimacy to the clinic. Johnson claimed Ulbrich was the doctor, and that Johnson was just an “administrator.” However, evidence showed that Johnson continued performing procedures such as liposuction, fat transfers, and Brazilian butt lifts, for which patients paid thousands of dollars.

In 2016, a patient tried to file a complaint on Johnson to the Georgia Composite Medical Board, but that board can only sanction licensed doctors, so they referred the complainant to Cobb Police, which led to a criminal investigation.

Then more patients came forward.

More than 30 patients testified during the trial. They said they were not aware that Johnson had lost his license.

The public information release states, “Several patients testified that they first met Ulbrich in the surgery room, after dealing exclusively with Johnson during consultations where they disrobed and allowed Johnson to evaluate their bodies.  Other patients testified that Johnson and Ulbrich performed the surgeries together, although many didn’t know Ulbrich’s name”.

“The jurors in this case gave up three weeks of their lives so that justice could be done. I applaud their diligence, and I’m thankful that the defendants will no longer be able to peddle the lie that Nathaniel Johnson is a doctor,” Senior Assistant District Attorney Jason Marbutt said.

Cobb County Superior Court Senior Judge Grant Brantley presided over the trial, and ordered that the defendants be returned to custody.

Sentencing will be December 4.