University doctor faces sex charges

Los Angeles authorities on Wednesday announced the arrest of George Tyndall, the former University of Southern California gynecologist who was accused of sexual misconduct against hundreds of women, including many Chinese overseas students.

At a press conference, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said, "Today, my office charged Dr. George Tyndall with 29 felony counts, alleging that he sexually assaulted 16 female students at the University of Southern California. The sexual assault allegations involved young women who went to a campus health center for annual exams and other treatments between 2009 and 2016."

Tyndall has been charged with 18 counts of sexual penetration and 11 counts of sexual battery by fraud. If convicted, he will face up to 53 years in prison, Lacey said.

Bail for Tyndall has been set at $2.1 million.

Lacey said the LAPD has presented more than 130 crime reports involving Tyndall to the District Attorney's office. However, she warned that some of the cases might fall outside of the statutes of limitation, which means that they may be too old to be filed.

LAPD Chief of Police Michel Moore said more than 350 women stepped forward to offer information on Tyndall over the course of the year-long investigation.

"Detectives traveled to more than 16 states to conduct a vast majority of those interviews in person, in an effort both to support these survivors, but also to gain, first hand, the best information possible and learning and demonstrating the proofs necessary to prevail in a criminal prosecution against this man," Moore said.

The 16 women who were identified in the criminal complaint were aged between 17 and 29, he added.

Moore said there were no criminal charges against USC at this point.

"Over the course of our one-year investigation, we have not, to this point, identified any criminal allegations against the university for obstructing justice, or interfering with our criminal investigation," he said.

According to Moore, Tyndall was arrested by LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division detectives Wednesday morning as he exited his Mid-Wilshire apartment in central Los Angeles.

While taking Tyndall into custody, authorities discovered that Tyndall had a loaded 38-caliber, 2-inch revolver.

Moore said he didn't believe Tyndall had a permit for a concealed weapon, which is highly-restricted in Los Angeles, he said.

Tyndall has repeatedly asserted that he did nothing wrong, according to the Los Angeles Times. Leonard Levine, an attorney for Tyndall, told the Times that "After one year of being tried in the press, Dr. Tyndall looks forward to finally having his case adjudicated in a court of law."

Tyndall, 72, enjoyed a 30-year career as a gynecologist at USC's Engemann Student Health Center, before it was revealed that he engaged in misconduct against his patients, including improper behavior during pelvic examinations and making suggestive comments.

Tyndall appeared to prefer Chinese students due to their limited understanding of English and lack of US medical norms.

The abuse triggered a series of local and federal investigations and led to the resignation of then USC President C.L. Max Nikias in August 2018, after protests by faculty members, alumni and students.

The scandal also led to allegations by students and faculty that USC failed to act after complaints about Tyndall first surfaced.

Interim USC President Wanda M. Austin said that the university was awaiting further details on Tyndall's arrest.

"We have cooperated with the LAPD and District Attorney's Office investigations since the beginning and will continue to do so," she said in a statement posted Wednesday on the school's website.

"We care deeply about our community and our top priority continues to be the wellbeing of our students, health center patients and university community.  We hope this arrest will be a healing step for former patients and our entire university."