Current and former students who are among 463 victims accusing University of Southern California gynecologist George Tyndall of sexual abuse (Mark RALSTON)

Los Angeles (AFP) – The University of Southern California said Friday it had reached an “agreement in principle” to pay $215 million in compensation over alleged sexual abuse by a campus gynecologist.

Dr George Tyndall has denied allegations made by hundreds of women that ranged from rape to inappropriate touching during medical examinations during his 30-year career.

He was also accused of taking photos of patients’ genitals and making lewd remarks about their physiques, as well as racist and homophobic comments.

Despite multiple complaints by students and nurses, he was not investigated until 2016, when an internal inquiry was launched following a complaint by a nurse at the center managing reports of sexual aggression. 

Even though the investigation found fault with his examinations, Tyndall was allowed to retire under an amicable agreement with USC, the financial details of which have not been disclosed.  

Los Angeles police opened their own investigation and in June searched the doctor’s house.

According to the Los Angeles Times, a total of 463 women have sued the university, some of them as part of a class action suit. 

The USC agreed to stump up $215 million in an effort to quell the suits. The university said in a statement the deal still had to be reviewed by a federal judge, but would provisionally include a payment of $2,500 to every former patient of the doctor and $250,000 to those who suffered abuse.  

“By doing so, we hope that we can help our community move collectively toward reconciliation,” said Wanda Austin, the acting president of USC, whose predecessor resigned over the scandal.

In the case of Larry Nasser, the former US Olympic gymnastics team doctor sentenced to between 40 and 125 years for sexually abusing 265 victims, the University of Michigan, which employed him, had to pay around $500 million in compensation.

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