Posted on September 29, 2005

Fifty Women Suing Gynaecologist Twin Over ‘Impersonation’

Catherine Elsworth, Telegraph (London), Sept. 29

Up to 50 women are suing a Seattle gynaecologist who allegedly allowed his identical twin to impersonate him in his clinic and sexually abuse his patients.

The women, patients of Charles Momah, claim that both he and his twin Dennis, a doctor not qualified to work as a gynaecologist, molested them over a number of years as they secretly swapped places, harming them with unnecessary and often botched invasive procedures.

Some claim to have been raped on the examination table by both of the 49-year-old Nigerian-born brothers. One woman blames them for the death of her baby. The allegations have echoes of the film Dead Ringers in which Jeremy Irons plays identical twin gynaecologists who share sexual partners without their knowledge.

Charles Momah, who had medical practices in two suburbs south of Seattle, is also facing criminal charges of rape, indecent assault and insurance fraud in a trial due to begin next month. He has pleaded not guilty.

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Jeannine Lapoint, 27, attended Dr Momah’s clinic between 1998 and 2002, during which she said she had 50 cervical smear tests.

She claims that her pregnancy was mismanaged, leading to the stillbirth of one of her twins and brain damage of the other boy, now four.

“At first I did not want to believe the reports,” Miss Lapoint said. “But then it started to make sense. I put my faith and trust in him [Charles Momah]. I am so angry.”

Her sister, Shannea Day, 29, alleges that Charles Momah repeatedly examined her vagina and never in the presence of a nurse.

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