USC faces lawsuits over doctor's alleged sexual abuse: report

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USC president to step down amid sexual misconduct scandal

University of Southern California president to step down amid a sex abuse scandal surrounding a university gynecologist.

The University of Southern California is reportedly facing a growing number of lawsuits against the school over allegations that a campus gynecologist sexually abused patients for nearly 30 years.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday that at least 200 former students have joined suits against the school. The paper reported that that number could increase to thousands and potentially cost the school hundreds of millions of dollars.

“The alarming thing is we have women from the very beginning of his employment in 1989 to the very end,” John Manly, a lawyer who has defended sex abuse victims, told the paper. “It indicates he engaged in this behavior throughout his tenure at USC.”

The Times reported earlier this month that complaints about Dr. George Tyndall weren't properly address by USC for years and university officials never reported him to the medical board, even after he was quietly forced into retirement.

Tyndall, 71, denied wrongdoing in interviews with the Times and hasn't responded to phone calls and emails requesting comment from The Associated Press.

USC has said Tyndall was placed on administrative leave in 2016 and never returned to treating students after officials received a complaint from a staff member at the health clinic. The staff member alleged that Tyndall made inappropriate comments to a patient in front of medical assistants.

The paper reported that the Los Angeles police Department is investigating.

Manly was reportedly the lead attorney in the Michigan State University sexual abuse case by physician Larry Nassar. The school settled the suits and paid out $500 million to 332 victims.

Another attorney told the paper that the Michigan ruling had state restrictions and expects a higher payout in California.