A South Korean nursing assistant was arrested for illegally performing plastic surgery on about 1,000 patients for the past three years, Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday citing Police.

The nursing assistant, only identified as a 70-year-old man, posed as a doctor from 2015 to 2018, performing some 1,500 illicit cosmetic surgeries on 1,000 victims.

Through the illegal medical practices, he earned about 1 billion won (about $900,000).

A 56-year-old plastic surgeon, the head of a clinic in Joongrang district in eastern Seoul, was also arrested for his collision with the nursing assistant in violation of the medical law.

The nursing assistant attracted customers from beauty salons and skin care shops near the clinic, mainly performing face-lift and double eyelid surgeries.

“Other employees of the clinic thought that the nursing assistant was a real doctor as he and the chief surgeon kept it secret thoroughly,’’ the Police was quoted as saying.

However, the nursing assistant and the clinic owner denied all charges brought against them.