Hidden cameras in places where people undress—massage rooms, tanning booths, locker rooms, bathrooms—aren’t just creepy. They’re crimes that can shatter a person’s sense of safety in seconds and live forever online. Below, we break down why these incidents happen, what laws apply, how prosecutors have handled recent cases, and the steps you can take if you think you were recorded. We also devote a section to the ongoing investigation at Reflexion Spa in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Why Spas and Personal-Care Businesses are High-Risk Targets
Small rooms, quiet surroundings, and common looking ceiling fixtures (such as smoke detectors, air-fresheners, acoustic pinholes in ceiling tiles, etc.) create the perfect cover for bad actors. Victims often don’t realize anything happened until police uncover devices—or worse, until images surface online. After all, who carefully scrutinizes the walls and ceilings of every room they enter? In many states, recording a person in a place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy can be charged as invasion of privacy, voyeurism/peeping, and related crimes; victims can also bring civil lawsuits for intrusion upon seclusion and other privacy torts.
Recent Prosecutions and Headline Cases Involving Hidden Cameras
- Long Island medical bathrooms (2025): A former employee of Northwell Health’s sleep center was indicted after prosecutors said disguised “smoke detector” cameras were present in nine bathrooms, potentially recording hundreds of patients and staff. Weeks later, roughly 250 people filed a civil lawsuit against Northwell over the alleged hidden cameras.
- Hermosa Beach dance studio (2025): In California, a receptionist at a children’s dance and music school was arrested after police said hidden cameras were found in multiple bathrooms and changing areas; the Los Angeles County District Attorney later announced felony charges including possession of child pornography.
- Pennsylvania tanning salon (2012): A man who crawled into a tanning salon ceiling and recorded women and girls undressing was sentenced to 7–20 years in prison after pleading guilty to more than 200 counts, including burglary and invasion of privacy. (This case is older, but courts and prosecutors still cite it because of the lengthy sentence.)
- Michigan tanning salon/Gym (2020–2022): A handyman previously charged for installing cameras in a tanning salon faced new allegations for placing a camera at a gym; prosecutors emphasized the scale of potential victims and the seriousness of the privacy invasion.
- Florida massage-parlor stings (2019–2020): Multiple judges suppressed hidden-camera videos used in high-profile spa investigations (including the case tied to Robert Kraft), finding police failed to minimize recording of innocent customers receiving lawful services; without the videos, prosecutors dropped many charges. These rulings highlight how courts weigh privacy even during criminal probes.
Spotlight: The Ongoing Investigation at Reflexion Spa (Hinsdale, Illinois)
- What police say they found: Hinsdale police reported that on December 3, 2024, officers discovered a hidden pinhole and smoke detector cameras and at Reflexion Spa (on Washington St.) after an anonymous tip. As of the latest local reports, the case remains under investigation and involves hundreds of potential victims.
- Current posture: As of August 2025, reporting described the matter as pending, with authorities reviewing evidence and public records requests underway. Civil and criminal exposure exists in such cases, including potential Illinois tort claims for intrusion upon seclusion.
- Why this matters for clients and businesses: If hidden cameras captured customers or staff in states of undress, criminal charges could follow (e.g., felony eavesdropping / voyeurism depending on facts). Separately, victims may pursue civil suits for privacy torts, emotional distress, and in some cases punitive damages. Businesses implicated—whether through active wrongdoing or negligent security—can face substantial liability
- Civil Legal Action under way: In addition to criminal charges presently being considered against those responsible for the breach, Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC is already undertaking civil legal action on behalf of multiple victims of Reflexion Spa in an effort to recover substantial monetary settlements for those involved. Others affected by this breach are encouraged to contact the Sexner legal team 24/7 at 800-996-4824 as additional clients are still being welcomed.
Spotlight: Recent Hidden Camera Found at Flavor Frenzy (Addison, Illinois)
After receiving an anonymous complaint regarding hidden cameras in a restroom at the Flavor Frenzy ice cream shop in Addison, Illinois, it’s alleged that police found such a device installed in a fake electrical outlet capable of capturing parts of the bathroom area.
A 58 year old Buffalo Grove man, Steven Weisberg (currently being held in custody), is accused of multiple criminal charges including child pornography and unauthorized videotaping. It’s alleged that he captured and saved videos of both adults and a child including employees in various states of undress in which victims’ buttocks, breasts and sexual organs were exposed. It’s alleged that he asked intended victims to model T-shirts for the business and to remove their bras so that no lines would be present.
What Laws Typically Apply and What Victims can Claim in Hidden Camera Situations
- Criminal: States commonly prohibit secretly recording a person where they reasonably expect privacy (bathrooms, changing rooms, massage/treatment rooms). Charges can include invasion of privacy, voyeurism/peeping, eavesdropping, and child-exploitation offenses when minors are filmed or explicit images are possessed or distributed. Recent filings in California and New York illustrate the range of counts.
- Civil: Victims routinely sue for intrusion upon seclusion, publication of private facts (if images circulate),and negligence (e.g., failure to secure treatment rooms). Class or mass actions are increasingly common when many victims are notified at once (e.g., Northwell).
Common Hidden Camera Hiding Places and Red Flags
- Smoke detectors, air fresheners, clock radios, USB chargers, or motion sensors placed inside treatment rooms or bathrooms
- New or out-of-place hardware near showers, vents, or ceiling tiles; pinhole lenses in trim work
- Ceiling disturbances (freshly cut tiles, loose plates) or unusual Wi-Fi/Bluetooth devices popping up in a scanner app. If you spot something, don’t touch it. -- step out, document what you see, and call police.
What to do if You Think You Were Illegally Recorded
- Report immediately to local police; ask for a case number and the name of the investigator.
- Preserve evidence: Take photos/video of the device in place, receipts, appointment logs, witness names.
- Consult counsel: Civil lawyers can pursue injunctions to halt dissemination, preservation orders to stop destruction of evidence and claims for damages— which may be individual lawsuits or class actions when many victims are involved.
For Owners and Managers: Ways to Prevent this from Happening
- No cameras should ever be permitted in any place where patrons may undress (ever).
- Vendor vetting: Contractors/handymen should be supervised; maintain strict key and ladder access logs.
- Ceiling/fixture checks as part of opening/closing routines; verify “detectors” are real, not dummy housings.
- Rapid response plan: If something is found, shut down the room, call police, preserve the scene, and proactively communicate with customers in accordance with your lawyer’s guidance. Cases show that delays or cover-ups compound liability.
Contact a Legal Team with Experience in Hidden Camera Cases
Hidden cameras in spas, tanning salons, and similar businesses are a serious, ongoing problem. Prosecutors across the country are bringing criminal charges, courts are recognizing the profound damage to personal privacy and civil lawsuits for monetary recovery are expanding—especially when many victims have been affected. If you think you’ve been affected by the events at the Reflexion Spa in Hinsdale or impacted by hidden cameras anywhere else, whether in Illinois or across the country, call our offices for a free confidential and discrete conversation with an attorney on our legal team who has handled these types of cases before.
Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC can be reached 24 hours a day at (312) 243-9922.
