by Sidnee Michelle
July 7, 2026
The disciplinary action follows dozens of medical malpractice lawsuits filed against Espino since June 2025
Breast surgeon Dr. Sasa Grae Espino permanently surrendered her Virginia medical license July 1, ending her ability to practice medicine in the commonwealth following an investigation by the Virginia Board of Medicine into her treatment of two former patients, WTVR reports.
The board accepted a consent order concluding disciplinary proceedings involving patients Mandy Moore and Audrey Andrews. According to the order, Espino violated Virginia regulations governing the practice of medicine in her care of both women. Under the agreement, Espino neither admitted nor denied the board’s findings. The action became public July 2 when the board released the consent order.
The disciplinary action follows dozens of medical malpractice lawsuits filed against Espino since June 2025. According to court filings, many of the lawsuits allege Espino performed breast reconstruction procedures outside the scope of her qualifications and failed to meet the accepted standard of medical care.
Attorneys representing Espino have previously denied those allegations, maintaining that her education, fellowship training, and surgical experience qualified her to perform the procedures.
According to the consent order, a plastic surgeon who later treated Andrews concluded the operation left her with a deformity and stated the procedure “was done so poorly it was not consistent with the standard of care.” The order also states that a breast surgeon who later evaluated Moore determined Espino failed to provide appropriate follow-up care and said the preventive double mastectomy Moore underwent would not have been recommended.
Following the board’s decision, Moore and Andrews said they were relieved by the outcome.
“We trusted someone that really messed us up, mentally and physically, absolutely,” Andrews said.
“That was great news, I’ve been waiting for it for months,” Moore said.
“I’m sorry it came to this, where a lot of us got hurt, scarred for life, multiple surgeries, something that is not going to go away,” Andrews remarked.
She also credited investigative reporting that brought attention to the complaints, saying, “If you hadn’t started airing these stories, it never would have happened.”
“I am just glad we put a stop to it, and she can’t do it in Virginia anymore. Amen,” Andrews said.
Espino continues to hold an active medical license in Alabama. A spokesperson for the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners said Virginia’s disciplinary action will be documented, but does not automatically affect her ability to practice in Alabama. Attorneys representing Espino had not issued additional public comments as of July 2.
The Virginia Board of Medicine licenses and disciplines physicians practicing in the commonwealth. Public disciplinary actions, including consent orders, are published as part of the board’s official records.
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