FL--Now, 3 patients accuse doctor of abuse

Now, 3 patients accuse doctor of abuse

Two have sued him for sexual battery

Physician also was charged with a DUI

Group believes other victims are “still suffering”

It urges “anyone with information” to call police

SNAP: “Prosecutors and Health Dept. must take action”

Clinic knew of his misdeeds but kept him working, suit says

WHAT

Holding signs at a sidewalk news conference, abuse victims will disclose that a local doctor, sued earlier this month for the second time for sexual battery, also

--was accused in 2011 of assaulting a third patient, and

--was arrested and charged with “driving under the influence” of alcohol.

The group will also

--blast any of the doctor’s colleagues who did not report or try to stop his “hurtful crimes,”

--push law enforcement and Health Dept. officials to “take action to protect others,” and

--urge anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes to call law enforcement and file formal complaints with the state health department

WHEN

Monday, Feb. 29 at 1:00 p.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the Florida's Health Department’s Hillsborough County service center, 1105 E. Kennedy Boulevard (corner of N. Brush) in Tampa (813) 307-8000 (where patients can file complaints against physicians)

WHO

Two-three abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests SNAPnetwork.org, including a Missouri woman who is the organization’s national outreach director

WHY

Two patients are suing him for sexual battery, and one of them has filed a formal complaint which is being investigated by the Hernando County sheriff’s department. Now, it turns out, he was accused of assaulting a third patient and was charged with charged with “driving under the influence,” a victims’ group has learned.

Earlier this month, Dr. Alfred Etapu Alingu and the Arecho Medical Clinic (10045 Cortez Blvd. in Weeki Wachee and 7537 Medical Way in Hudson) were named as defendants in civil sexual assault case. Last year, a similar civil suit was also filed against him.

But according to police records, in 2011, a third woman also told police that Dr. Alingu had “touched her breasts,” “rubbed her inner thigh,” took her into a private room, and “made sexual comments and asked for sexual favors in exchange for services.” The physician denied the charges and no criminal prosecution was pursued. A clinic staff person, however, confirmed that the two had been alone in a room and said that Dr. Alingu has been known to be flirtatious with some patients before.”

That same year, in September, Dr. Alingu was arrested at the Appleby’s (4651 Commercial Way), driving a silver BMW. He “refused to answer questions” and was “unable to perform field sobriety exercises.”

The first accuser has not filed a civil suit against Dr. Alingu but two subsequent patients have.

In his office, while touching the vaginal area of patient Maureen Nicholson, Dr. Alingu reportedly said “If I weren’t your doctor, you let me in here?” Other times, he “made lewd sexual comments” to her and “expressed opinions about her sexual life,” the suit says.

The suit says Dr. Alingu, an internist, “had committed similar sexual misconduct on at least one other patient” and that Arecho staff knew about this before he assaulted Nicholson. But clinic staff still “authorized (him) to be alone with/ patients and have unfettered and unsupervised control and access to (them).”

Nicholson says she “was mortified, in shock and felt paralyzed and in disbelieve” during the incidents.

In a different lawsuit, filed in a year ago, another abused patient said that over several months in 2014, Dr. Alingu rubbed her thigh inappropriately,” told her “you make my penis feel funny,” insisted on seeing her monthly, told her to come alone (without her husband), moved his hands down her “upper buttocks region” and “down the back of her pants,” and “forcefully” pulled her toward him, brushed against her breast for “an abnormal length of time.”

Copies of both lawsuits and two records (about the 2011 battery accusations and the DUI), totaling 20+ pages, will be provided at the news conference. Both civil cases are filed in Hernando County and seek unspecified damages, charging negligence and sexual battery.

Ft. Lauderdale attorney Adam Horowitz (954 524 2820, [email protected]) represents both women. Nicholson lives in Hudson (Pasco County) and the other victim lives in Spring Hill (Hernando County).

Nicholson may be willing to do media interviews and can be reached through her lawyer.

Dr. Alingu’s photo is here: http://www.arechomedical.com/

CONTACT

Barbara Dorris 314 503 0003, [email protected], David Clohessy 314 566 9790, [email protected]