THE LAW FIRM OF TAMARA N. HOLDER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MICHAEL REINSDORF (CHICAGO BULLS), TOM RICKETTS (CHICAGO CUBS) AMONG BIG CHICAGO NAMES ON NORTHSHORE UNIVERSITY HEALTHSYSTEM BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHILE HOSPITAL GROUP HARBORED SEXUAL PREDATOR GYNECOLOGIST
NorthShore’s top officials knew that Fabio Ortega was under criminal investigation for sexual assault, had history of complaints, yet still allowed him to work unsupervised, concealed investigation from female patients.
This week, Jane Doe 17 filed a 10-count complaint against Dr. Fabio Ortega and NorthShore University HealthSystem alleging:
- Michael Reinsdorf, Tom Ricketts, A. Steven Crown were on NorthShore’s Board of Directors in 2017 when NorthShore knew Dr. Fabio Ortega was under active criminal investigation for sexually assaulting female patients. The Board is responsible for credentialing of its doctors.
- Despite being a multi-billion-dollar charitable institution, NorthShore applied for, and received, $85 million in CARES Act” grants – the statute was intended to protect financially insecure hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis.
- NorthShore falsely claims it provides patients with “the right to be free from mental, physical, sexual, and verbal abuse…neglect…and exploitation.”
- NorthShore harbored, for thirteen years, a now-twice-indicted male gynecologist – Dr. Fabio Ortega – who sexually assaulted multiple women under the guise of providing legitimate medical care.
- For years, female patients complained that Ortega touched their anuses, penetrated his fingers into their vaginas, grabbed their breasts, rubbed their thighs, and asked them sexually perverted questions. Rather than believe the women, NorthShore ignored them, and continued to steer trusting women to Ortega. Women complained when Ortega was at Swedish Hospital, too, before NorthShore hired him.
- In February 2017, police notified NorthShore that Ortega was under criminal investigation for sexually assaulting a woman at one of its clinics. NorthShore immediately hired defense attorneys to protect itself, while continuing to steer women to Ortega and concealing that he was under active criminal investigation.
- In July 2017, NorthShore scheduled Jane Doe 17 who was then just 21-years old, for a gynecological exam with Ortega. NorthShore not only concealed from her that Ortega was under criminal investigation for sexual assault, it failed to even supervise him during his closed-door “exam.” Ortega then sexually assaulted her.
- The 10-count complaint demands a trial by jury and seeks unspecified damages
- In other lawsuits, NorthShore defends that it is not responsible for Ortega and that his conduct was legitimate – essentially stating that the women are lying.
