Source: Jeff Greenberg / Getty
Dr. George Tyndall, a former University of Southern California gynecologist who was fired in 2017 for “inappropriate behavior,” is being accused of sexual misconduct by 52 former patients. According to police, Tyndall has seen an estimated 10,000 patients during his tenure; officers believe there are additional victims.
Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala told CNN that staff “wanted to personally outreach to those who may have been impacted” with a promise to “hold in confidence any information with great attention to privacy issues.” Allegations hit the public eye on May 15 via the Los Angeles Times, though initial reports span from around 1990 to 2016, CNN notes.
In addition to being sued by former patients for sexual misconduct, Tyndall is also being sued by former patients for the use of “racist language” during consultations and pelvic examinations, during which he touched patients without gloves (which Tyndall maintains served “a legitimate medical purpose”). USC is listed as a defendant in the lawsuits.
Captain Billy Hayes, who leads a robbery-homicide division that investigates sexual assault, told CNN that police are determining whether Tyndall’s reported behavior is criminal. The Medical Board of California is also investigating Tyndall, who says he’s “never had any sexual urges” while seeing patients.
USC President C. L. Max Nikias stepped down last week after students demanded his resignation with a signed online petition. Upon Tyndall’s firing in 2017, the school reportedly reached a settlement with the doctor, according to University officials, and “did not to report him to police or state medical authorities at the time.”
