Massage therapist pleads guilty to sexual assault in Kirkwood; civil lawsuit also filed - KSDK

[Brent Solomon]

Jon Lindbergh is now awaiting sentencing after admitting to committing misdemeanor and felony sexual offenses.



KIRKWOOD, Mo. — A former massage therapist at MassageLuXe in Kirkwood is awaiting sentencing for sexual assault. That same man now faces a lawsuit.


"People get massages and it just helps them, re-energizes,” said O'Fallon, Illinois injury attorney John Kujawski.


But he said when things go beyond the limits, it can take a toll. "She's psychologically in bad shape. I mean she just had a baby," Kujawski said of his client, who 5 On Your Side is not identifying.


Kujawski said she went to the MassageLuXe in Kirkwood back in September 2024 to get a massage form therapist Jon Lindbergh.


"He would start easing his hands into areas that he shouldn't be in, both above the waist and below the waist, and if the woman would say 'don't do that' he'd say 'I’m sorry. It’s a mistake'. Then he'd do it again and eventually do it in a real meaningful way,” he explained.


“At that point, the massage is over?” 5 On Your Side asked.


“It was over for my client,” Kujawski responded.


They're now seeking damages in a civil suit that claims Lindbergh was negligently hired and that his employer failed to vet the therapist's background, skills, and morality.


Thursday evening, a manager wasn't available for comment.


This isn't the first legal trouble for the franchise. Back in February, 31-year-old Caleb Israel Isaiah Holmes was arrested, accused of sodomy and sexual abuse after two women said he touched them inappropriately during a massage also in September and October of 2024. Those incidents happened at a different MassageLuXe in Shrewsbury.


When 5 On Your Side went in Thursday to find out if anything has changed in light of the allegation, again, no manager available.

Lindbergh plead guilty to at least seven felony and misdemeanor charges for his apparent ongoing bad behavior on the job. The 24-year-old is now awaiting sentencing in June.


"I mean they're in this room alone, they're disrobed, this guy is 6 foot 4 and this hasn't happened to them before and they're terrified,” Kujawski said.

5 On Your Side made contact with several representatives from different MassageLuXe franchises, all of whom declined to comment on this story. 5 On Your Side is also awaiting a response after reaching out to a regional representative.