News and Media

FSMTB Initiates Texas Litigation to Protect Integrity of MBLEx

October 23, 2017

Contact: Debra Persinger, PhD
Executive Director, Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards
dpersinger@fsmtb.org / 913.681.0380

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 23, 2017

FSMTB Initiates Texas Legislation to Protect Integrity of MBLEx

(Overland Park, Kan. – October 23, 2017) – The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) has initiated litigation in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas against Mendez Master Training Center, Inc. (MMTC), MMTC Texas, Inc., Tesla Shen Mendez (formerly known as Yi Ling “Elaine” Chang Mendez), Jorge Mendez, Hua Sun, David Lin, and other unnamed John Doe defendants alleging copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract and other claims arising out of the theft and sale of questions from the FSMTB Massage & Bodywork Licensing  Examination (MBLEx).

FSMTB is a not for profit federation whose membership consists of the massage therapy licensing boards in the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia. FSMTB provides programs and services to its member governmental boards that are created and empowered to protect the public through regulation of the profession. One such program includes the MBLEx, used by at least 46 states and territories as well as the District of Columbia, as one component in licensure eligibility determinations by the respective jurisdictions.

FSMTB monitors websites, review courses and educational programs to protect the integrity of the MBLEx and the licensure process, as well as the public served through the regulation of the profession.  FSMTB discovered that Elaine and Jorge Mendez, through their training centers, MMTC and MMTC Texas, and with the assistance of the individual defendants Sun and Lin, and other unnamed John Doe defendants, perpetrated a scheme to reproduce and sell MBLEx questions, complete with answer choices, to student test takers. The FSMTB initiated the referenced litigation on September 29, 2017. The lawsuit alleges that these efforts began in California with MMTC, Inc. and has now expanded to Houston, Texas with MMTC Texas, Inc. The facts underlying the complaint were developed through FSMTB analysis, tips from informants, and subsequent investigation. FSMTB encourages anyone with knowledge of similar schemes to report the information to the FSMTB.

The integrity of the examination program and the licensure process must be protected and FSMTB plans to vigorously pursue persons and entities found to violate the legal rights of the Federation. Questions regarding this litigation should be directed to the FSMTB Executive Director.  

The Federation’s mission is to support its member boards in their work to ensure that the practice of massage therapy is provided to the public in a safe and effective manner.

###