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When Jean El-Dahdouh introduced himself to women at the upscale Nordik Spa-Nature in Chelsea, he sometimes claimed to be French, and other times Italian. Both were lies.

He told the women that he was a massage therapist, or a doctor, or a reflexologist. More lies.

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He claimed to be at the spa to treat an injured athlete.

He never breathed a whisper about his true identity: the superior of the Lebanese Maronite Order in Canada.

After chatting up the women in the spa’s pool and bath areas, he offered to massage away the tension in their necks and shoulders, but went much farther. And, when he was charged with assault and sexual assault, the judge had a hard time believing that, for once, El-Dahdouh was telling the truth.

El-Dahdouh, 46, of Montreal, testified that he had to conceal his identity because his church would punish him if it learned he was at a spa. He said he felt ashamed after lying to the women.