California trial set for Florida cosmetologist charged in death of Kim Kardashian lookalike

By Tim Fang

A trial has been set in the San Francisco Bay Area for a Florida woman accused of providing a cosmetic injection that killed a woman who was known as a Kim Kardashian lookalike, prosecutors said.

The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that jury selection is set to begin on March 9 in the trial of Vivian Alexandra Gomez, who is charged in the 2023 death of Christina Gourkani.

Gomez, a 53-year-old from Royal Palm Beach, is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and practicing medicine without a license, along with enhancements for great bodily injury. She pled not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutors said Gourkani, a model who resembled the reality TV star and who had hundreds of thousands of social media followers, hired Gomez to perform an illegal gluteal silicon injection. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the injections have not been approved and can cause serious injuries, disfigurement and even death.

On April 19, 2023, Gomez flew to San Francisco International Airport, prosecutors said. She then met Gourkani and her fiancée at the Burlingame Marriott Hotel to perform the procedure.

Prosecutors said Gourkani fell ill quickly after the injection and was taken to Mills Peninsula Hospital. She died the following day of respiratory failure and a pulmonary embolism.

Gomez traveled back to Florida where she was later arrested. She waived extradition and was brought back to San Mateo County to face charges.

According to the DA’s office, opening statements are scheduled to take place on March 11, with the trial expected to take four weeks.

Gomez remains out of custody on $200,000 bail. She was ordered to surrender her U.S. and Colombian passports and cannot leave California without a GPS tracking device.

Prosecutors said Gomez is also barred from performing any medical or cosmetic procedures or possessing any instruments to perform procedures.