A beauty therapist has been sentenced to prison for causing the death of an adult model who aspired to look like Kim Kardashian. Vivian Alexandra Gomez, 53, received a four-year term for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Christina Gourkani, who died in 2023 following a botched cosmetic procedure. Gomez was also convicted of practicing medicine without a license.
Christina Gourkani, an adult content model with a large online following due to her resemblance to the reality TV star, underwent an illegal cosmetic procedure at a hotel near San Francisco International Airport instead of a licensed medical facility, prosecutors stated.
The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office reported that Gomez traveled from Florida to California and administered silicone injections to Gourkani's buttocks. Shortly after the procedure, Gourkani became ill and later died from respiratory failure. District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe previously noted that the model suffered cardiac arrest following the treatment, and silicone was found in her bloodstream.
Gomez was found guilty earlier this year of involuntary manslaughter and practicing medicine without a license before being sentenced this week. The case drew widespread attention due to Gourkani's online popularity and has renewed warnings about the dangers of unlicensed cosmetic procedures.
Medical experts have repeatedly warned about the risks associated with illegal silicone injections. According to prosecutors, Gomez left California after the procedure and returned to Florida, where she was later arrested on a warrant before being transferred back to California to face charges.
The court heard that in April 2023, Gomez traveled to San Francisco International Airport for an appointment with Gourkani. They met at the Burlingame Marriott hotel to conduct the procedure. After receiving the injections, Gourkani rapidly became very ill, and her fiancé called emergency services. She was rushed to Mills Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame, where she succumbed to respiratory failure and a pulmonary embolism the next day.
The sentencing concludes a case that began more than three years ago with the death of a social media personality whose family said she was deeply loved and is greatly missed.
