300 women sue gynecologist who pleaded guilty to sexual abuse

Hundreds of women have sued a gynecologist who earlier pleaded guilty to sexually abusing patients while he was performing exams.

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Fabio Ortega was a doctor in Chicago at the NorthShore University HealthSystem, WLS-TV reported.

The 300 women who have sued him and Endeavor Health were all former patients. They said that they were each violated and that the two hospitals where he worked — NorthShore and Swedish Covenant Hospital, both run by Endeavor Health — did not stop him, WMAQ-TV reported.

Ortega pleaded guilty in 2021 to the sexual abuse of two patients, but when the case became public, more former patients came forward saying they were also abused.

He was sentenced to three years behind bars, The Chicago Tribune reported.

“I thought that I was the only one,” one of the women suing Ortega told WMAQ. “You don’t think when you go to a doctor, you’re going to … be raped, or touched inappropriate.”

The woman was identified in the latest suit as Jane Doe 300, the Tribune reported.

She said that the abuse started when her husband stopped going to her appointments with her, telling WMAQ how Ortega’s behavior changed over the years.

Lawyers say that the pattern of alleged abuse started in the early 1990s, adding that a complaint was filed with the police in 2004, but nothing happened.

The Tribune reported that the Skokie Police Department had investigated Ortega and that Endeavor Health was made aware of the investigation.

Endeavor Health told WMAQ in a statement that it has “no tolerance for abuse of any kind.”

“As a healthcare provider, there is nothing more important than providing a safe and trusted environment for our patients, community and team members,” Endeavor Health said.

The statement continued: “We have enhanced and continue to improve and evolve our processes and policies to ensure we have an environment that supports reporting of threatened or actual abuse.”

The health system said, “Our policies require we investigate all allegations of abuse that are reported to us, take prompt action in all matters and fully cooperate with law enforcement. We have focused on reviewing individual claims and are committed to engaging in a process that allows for meaningful review and response to each person impacted. Due to pending legal matters and patient privacy, we are unable to comment on any specific case or allegations.”

Attorneys for the women who filed suit this week think there may be more victims.

Many of the suits against Ortega and the health system have been settled, with the details kept confidential. The latest suit filed by Jane Doe 300 is asking for $50,000, the Tribune reported.

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