Nanaimo massage therapist pleads guilty to sexual assault, gets 6-month jail sentence

FILE: A massage table is seen in this undated photo. (Shutterstock)

A Nanaimo massage therapist who was banned by his professional college from treating female patients earlier this year has pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

The B.C. Prosecution Service confirmed the charge against Robert Paradis in an email to CTV News Friday.

The charge was laid on May 7, roughly two weeks after the College of Complementary Health Professionals took “extraordinary action” against Paradis to protect the public during an ongoing investigation.

The April 23 notification from the college said it began its investigation after receiving a complaint from a patient.

“In relation to this complaint, the inquiry committee panel found that there was a prima facie case of the allegations that, during the provision of treatment to the patient, the registrant engaged in sexual misconduct,” the notification said.

“The inquiry committee panel considered the allegations serious and found that there are some factors that render the alleged conduct likely to recur.”

In addition to a prohibition on treating any patient that identifies as female, Paradis was ordered to inform clients of the limit placed on his practise by posting notifications about the ban online and in any clinic where he worked. He was also required to provide the college with weekly access to his calendar and to comply with random, on-site audits.

According to the BCPS, the underlying offence occurred on March 4.

“On Oct. 22, 2025, Mr. Paradis entered a guilty plea to the offence as charged and was sentenced to six months in jail, followed by a 12-month probation order,” the service said in its email.

“The court also imposed a DNA order.”