TWO CT WOMEN ALLEGE THEY WERE SCAMMED OUT OF $8,000 IN BEAUTY SCHOOL LICENSING SCHEME

Brito styles Espinal's hair at her Meriden beauty salon, where the two first connected over promises of cosmetology licensing. Photo: Boceto Media

Meriden, CT.- Two Hispanic women in Meriden allege they were defrauded out of a combined $8,000 by a man they say promised to help them obtain Connecticut cosmetology licenses, but never delivered.

Fátima Brito Reyes and Isabella Espinal, both of whom have backgrounds in beauty services, say they handed over thousands of dollars to Michael Valentine, the operator of Vanity Studio School of Cosmetology in Stamford. The women allege Valentine claimed he could expedite the licensing process through connections within the state government.

“I had a New York license, and when I moved to Connecticut, I wanted to transfer it, but it was complicated. I didn’t speak the language well, and even though I sent all the documents to the State, they never replied. I felt frustrated because without that license transfer, I couldn’t establish my business.” Brito Reyes said. “Then this man shows up, says he can help, and I trusted him. I gave him $4,000 and my license from New York. Two years later, nothing.”

Espinal, who also said she gave Valentine $4,000, stated that the arrangement began with a meeting at a local Starbucks. She alleges they were promised training and a date for the state exam, which never materialized. Instead, she claims they received documents and emails that she later discovered were fabricated.

“He told us the test was coming and even sent us a date,” Espinal said. “The email that the was coming to us it was a fake email, because I have received those emails before, and that's when I started to get suspicious.

The Connecticut Office of Higher Education said it referred the matter to the Office of the Attorney General. In a statement, the agency clarified that it “did not suggest nor direct Mr. Valentine to pay a particular amount, nor did [the office] render an opinion as to what refund amount was appropriate.” The department said neither complainant responded to official communications about a reimbursement offer.

State Rep. Minnie González, who has advocated for the women, criticized what she described as a lack of accountability. She said the State offered to close the case if Valentine returned $2,000 to each woman, an amount she called insufficient.

“He took $8,000 and delivered nothing,” González said. “These women were taken advantage of, and we need to investigate whether someone inside the system helped him do it.”

The women allege Valentine told them he could bypass traditional licensing steps through internal contacts. González has called for a full inquiry into whether any state officials may have played a role.

When reached for comment, Valentine replied via text, saying he had been advised by legal counsel not to speak publicly at this time. “I will respond once my attorney has reviewed everything holistically,” he wrote.

Valentine has until September 2, 2025, to pay the full amount, as requested by the women’s attorney.

For Brito Reyes, a single mother from the Dominican Republic, the experience has been devastating. “Every dollar I gave him was hard-earned,” she said. “I just want my money back.”

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