University of California Pays Record $700 Million to Alleged Victims of Sexual Abuse by UCLA Gynecologist
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In a new settlement, the University of California system has agreed to pay $374.4 million to settle lawsuits from 312 former patients who say former UCLA gynecologist Dr. James Heaps abused them under the pretense of providing medical care bringing the total payout to his alleged victims to nearly $700 million—the largest ever payout related to sexual abuse from a public university. The lawsuits have alleged that UCLA ignored multiple complaints of abuse over decades and let Heaps continue practicing in 2018 even as top University officials knew of an ongoing internal investigation into his conduct. Nobody else has been charged in relation to the alleged abuse and UCLA will not say whether any other school officials were disciplined or dismissed. Heaps, who was arrested in 2019 and indicted by a grand jury on 21 felony counts last May, denies any wrongdoing. He will be tried later this year and could be sentenced to more than 67 years in prison if convicted.