Seattle Gynecologist Gets 20 Years for Raping Patients, Double Billing Insurers

A Seattle gynecologist convicted of raping and fondling women who came to his clinics for treatment has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Charles Momah performed gynecological exams without wearing gloves, sexually touched patients, probed them unnecessarily with a vaginal ultrasound wand and flirted with them inappropriately, prosecutors alleged.

The obstetrician-gynecologist prescribed addictive painkillers for no good medical reason, pressured patients into surgeries and double-billed insurance companies for procedures, documents say.

He was convicted nearly three months ago of two counts of rape and two counts of indecent liberties with patients.

“They will be sleeping with both eyes closed for the first time in so many years,” said lawyer Harish Bharti, who is representing dozens of women in lawsuits against Momah and his twin, who allegedly sometimes pretended to be the gynecologist.

In 2000, a former patient, Jolie Campbell, told the King County Sheriff’s Office that Momah had performed unnecessary surgery on her, deliberately gotten her addicted to painkillers, raped her five years earlier and told her no one would believe her if she reported the rape because she was addicted to drugs.

Prosecutors decided there wasn’t enough evidence to file charges.

Momah continued practicing until Sept. 11, 2003, when his license was suspended after another patient reported being raped. By June 2004, 44 women had sued him.