NH woman pleads guilty to unlicensed practice of naturopathic medicine | New Hampshire

BRENTWOOD — An Atkinson woman illegally practiced naturopathic medicine, advertising herself as a doctor in the field and collecting payment for her services.

Shanna Pinet, 46, of Atkinson, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of practicing naturopathic medicine without a license and violating the Consumer Protection Act for receiving money from clients for services she wasn’t licensed to provide in New Hampshire. Naturopathic medicine is a holistic approach to allowing the body to heal itself with natural cures.

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced her sentencing on Monday which took place in Rockingham County Superior Court on May 6. Pinet entered a guilty plea on March 7.

She was sentenced to 12 months in the Rockingham County House of Corrections with nine months suspended for the unlicensed practice misdemeanor and a $2,000 fine, all suspended. Pinet was also ordered to 80 hours of community service.

Pinet received a 12-month sentence in the county jail, all of which were suspended, and ordered to pay $1,200 in victim restitution on the Consumer Protection Act charge.

Complaints were initially filed against Pinet about her practicing naturopathic medicine without a license between July 1, 2021 and August 6, 2021.

During that time, Pinet was unlicensed, but advertised herself as a naturopathic doctor, qualified to practice the medical discipline in the state, on the website biophengen.com, according to court documents. The website no longer exists.

Other evidence found Pinet additionally advertised and provided medical services for compensation under the name “Dr. Fabianna Marie” through her website, drfabiannamarie.com between August 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021. The Attorney General’s Office said she did this without the education, training and licensure required of naturopathy.

The Eagle-Tribune previously covered Pinet’s 10-year battle with breast cancer in 2015 and the release of her debut book in 2016. “Fabulously Fighting: Living with Cancer Through Love, Laughter, and Honesty” chronicled her fight against cancer.

Pinet, who was also a former beauty queen, penned the book under the name Fabianna Marie.

In September 2021, the Director of Charitable Trusts sought an injunction against her corporation, The Fab Family Fund, from seeking charitable donations.

The Fab Family Fund advertised itself as an established nonprofit. The organization held fundraisers and solicited donations on its Facebook page and website in order to send those affected by breast cancer and their families on all-expense paid trips to heal since February 2020.

Pinet served as CEO of the organization which her husband was also involved.

The state alleged Fab Family Fund was supposed to be a charitable organization, but never registered as a nonprofit organization with the Internal Revenue Service.

Pinet, her husband and Michelle Tolson, the fund’s president, are alleged to have violated four charitable trust laws in New Hampshire including deceptive fundraising.

At the time, a Rockingham County Superior Court judge found The Fab Family Fund violated the charitable trust laws and ordered it be dissolved.