A Calgary massage therapist charged with sexually assaulting a client in July now faces four new sexual assault charges, after four more people came forward to police.
Yuriy Zhivov, 53, is now charged with five counts of sexual assault, the Calgary Police Service said on Friday, Oct. 9.
Police say he worked at Kinesio Massage Therapy, at 3949 17 Avenue S.W., when the alleged assaults happened.
None of the charges has been proven in court.
How the case grew
Aug. 9, 2025: A woman went for a massage at Kinesio Massage Therapy. Police allege the therapist touched her in a sexual manner without her consent.
Early 2026: She reported it to police.
July 8, 2026: Officers searched the business and arrested Zhivov. He was charged with one count of sexual assault, and police released his name on July 14, asking anyone with similar experiences to come forward.
Four more people did, police say, alleging similar incidents. Police haven't said when those alleged assaults happened.
Oct. 1, 2026: Officers searched the business again, arrested Zhivov a second time, and seized cell phones for forensic analysis.
He now faces four new counts, for five in total. He's due in court on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
'No time limit'
The investigation is ongoing, and police say there's no deadline to come forward.
"In Canada, there is no time limit on reporting a sexual assault," CPS said. "Anyone who believes they are a victim of sexual assault is encouraged to report it, even if many years have passed since the incident."
Alberta still doesn't regulate massage therapy
Massage therapy isn't a regulated health profession in Alberta, as we reported when Zhivov was first charged. Read that story here.
Doctors, nurses and physiotherapists answer to provincial regulatory colleges, which can investigate complaints and suspend or cancel a licence. Massage therapists don't have one.
Many belong to professional associations, which set training and conduct standards for members. But membership is voluntary. An association can expel a member, but it can't stop someone from practising massage therapy in Alberta.
Waiting two years for an answer
The profession has asked the province to change that.
In October 2024, a working group of Alberta massage therapy associations formally applied to have the profession regulated under the province's health professions law. The group includes the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta, the Canadian Massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association, the Certified Registered Massage Therapist Association and Natural Health Practitioners of Canada.
A regulatory college could require every massage therapist to register, investigate complaints, and discipline therapists who break the rules.
In a March 26, 2026 update, the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta said the application was still under government review, with talks with Alberta Health continuing and no new milestones to report. The province hasn't announced a decision.
There's no way to know whether regulation would have changed anything in this case. But it means there's still no provincial body that can pull a massage therapist's right to practise while criminal charges go through the courts.
Checking a massage therapist
There's no provincial registry to search, but there are a few things you can do:
Ask which association they belong to, and confirm their membership with the association directly.
Ask about their training. Associations generally require at least 2,200 hours of education for membership, according to the province's occupational information service.
Ask what the treatment involves before it starts, including which areas will be worked on.
You can set limits. You can ask that some areas not be treated, ask questions during the massage, or stop it at any time. Agreeing to a massage isn't agreeing to sexual touching.
Ask whether you can bring someone into the room with you. Clinics' policies vary.
Where to get help
Anyone with information about the investigation can call the Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234. To stay anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. In an emergency, call 911.
For confidential support, call or text Alberta's One Line for Sexual Violence at 1-866-403-8000, daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. You don't have to report to police to get help.
Sources
Additional sexual assault charges laid against Calgary massage therapist, Calgary Police Service, October 9, 2026
Massage therapist charged with sexual assault in city's southwest, Calgary Police Service, July 14, 2026
Regulation updates, Massage Therapist Association of Alberta
Massage therapist, alis, Government of Alberta
Sexual violence: get help, Government of Alberta
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