A civil lawsuit filed in April 2026 in Oakland County accuses a MassageLuXe therapist at the chain’s Troy spa of sexual assault, and it is shining a bright light on a legal gap that can let accused health workers stay on the job while regulators sort things out. The complaint says a 34-year-old woman drifted off to sleep during a massage in September 2024 and later realized she had been assaulted. The case has revived long-running questions about how and when Michigan pulls professional licenses in suspected sexual misconduct cases.
The suit names a therapist identified as Charles Campbell and alleges the woman woke up with injuries she later linked to the massage, according to The Detroit News. The complaint, filed in Oakland County Circuit Court, seeks damages and other relief, the outlet reports.
In court filings, the woman alleges that "Campbell's fingers were inside her vagina," quoting her account in the lawsuit, as reported by The Detroit News. The documents place the incident in September 2024 and say she was 34 at the time.
The Michigan Rule Keeping Accused Workers On The Clock
Michigan's Public Health Code gives the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs the power to investigate and discipline licensed professionals, but it sharply limits when the agency can use what is called a summary suspension. That emergency move is reserved for situations where "the public health, safety, or welfare requires emergency action." Under that statute, MCL 333.16233, the department has to find that this high threshold is met before it can summarily pull a license, according to the Michigan Legislature. In practical terms, that helps explain why some licensees accused of abuse keep working while complaints, investigations and civil lawsuits are still pending.
How Regulators Actually Use “Emergency” Suspensions
Administrative records show LARA typically reaches for summary suspension only in limited, clear-cut situations, such as after criminal convictions or when investigators conclude there is an immediate danger to the public. Most of the time, the agency waits for stronger evidence before sidelining a professional. A LARA disciplinary order applying MCL 333.16233 spells out that the department must find a risk to public health or safety before suspending a practitioner. That process can leave accused providers on the job while probes or civil cases unfold, and the department's own files show how sparingly this emergency standard is used, according to Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs records.
Advocates Say Survivors Are Left Exposed
Victim advocates and some lawmakers argue that the bar for emergency action is set too high, leaving survivors vulnerable while regulators work the case file. Recent reporting on efforts to increase penalties for assaults on health workers detailed those concerns and the carveouts lawmakers built in to protect patients in crisis, according to Bridge Michigan. Critics are calling for clearer and faster administrative tools so employers or the state can respond more quickly when serious allegations surface.
What Could Come Next In The Troy Case
The Troy lawsuit seeks monetary damages and could also trigger a separate state licensing complaint. The filing itself may prod advocates and lawmakers to renew pressure for quicker action in similar cases. If LARA receives a complaint, its Bureau of Professional Licensing can investigate and, but only if that emergency standard is met, move to suspend or limit a practitioner's license. Any licensing case, the civil suit, and a potential criminal matter would all run on separate tracks, often on very different timelines.
How To Report Suspected Misconduct
Anyone who believes they were harmed by a licensed health professional can submit a complaint to LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing online or by mail. The bureau offers forms and detailed instructions for people filing reports. Complaints can be sent by email to [email protected] or by mail to P.O. Box 30670, Lansing, MI 48909. More information and complaint materials are available from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
