A convicted doctor at the center of a sexual abuse scandal involving children and adults continues to trigger legal headaches for Henry Ford Health, which has been hit with three new lawsuits involving the notorious doctor — including one for $100 million.
The lawsuits involve women who say they had to identify themselves in disturbing videos and photos that police had obtained while investigating a doctor who allegedly was secretly recording himself molesting patients. Among the victims was a woman who was having a pelvic exam, though unaware she was being filmed during the process.
“This is yet another instance of a healthcare provider preying on vulnerable patients that come to them for help,” Fieger Law said in announcing the lawsuits on Monday, Oct. 27.
The lawsuits are on behalf of three patients who allege they were secretly videotaped and subjected to sexual abuse or misconduct by former Dr. Oumair Aejaz, who faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to a slew of crimes two weeks ago. The 41-year-old Rochester Hills doctor admitted to molesting a child while recording himself doing so, and to secretly recording children and adults in places like hospital rooms and bedrooms.
Prosecutors also allege the embattled physician recorded himself sexually assaulting unconscious hospital patients. Aejaz, though, was not employed by Henry Ford Health, but rather was an independent physician from a private practice who did work at the hospital.
Following his guilty plea, authorities noted that the investigation is ongoing and that there may be numerous unidentified victims out there.
Separately, a year-old class action is pending against Henry Ford Health, its Macomb hospital and Aejaz, alleging that Aejaz engaged in widespread sexual abuse and violated the privacy of multiple patients, including minors, over at least six years.
The latest plaintiffs are not part of that class action.
In an Oct. 27 statement to the Free Press, Henry Ford Health said: “We are deeply committed to ensuring and supporting the safety of our patients and team members, and we prioritize their safety in everything we do. However, we do not comment on pending litigation.”
Aejaz’s lawyer, Mariell Lehman, declined to comment Tuesday, Oct. 28.
The latest lawsuits include claims by three Macomb County women — two from Sterling Heights, one from Utica — who allege the following:
In the spring of 2024, a 40-year-old Utica woman was admitted to Henry Ford’s Macomb Hospital on multiple occasions, though the suit does not disclose the health reason. According to her lawsuit, she was assigned to Aejaz, who allegedly sexually assaulted her multiple times while he was in a room alone with her, and recorded these acts using hidden devices that were ultimately discovered by law enforcement.
Among the woman’s allegations is that he once sexually assaulted her while performing a pelvic exam. Another time he allegedly put his hands on her neck and breasts and “felt her up.” Another time he lifted up her shirt after putting hand sanitizer on and exposed her breasts.
According to the lawsuit, which seeks at least $100 million, the woman confirmed her identity in photos and videos that had been obtained by law enforcement, and were shown to her during a meeting in May — a year after the alleged incidents.
“Henry Ford Macomb and Henry Ford Health knew or should have known that Aejaz was taking inappropriate photos and videos of patients and inappropriately touching patients,” the lawsuits states.
A second lawsuit involves a 47-year-old Sterling Heights woman who went to Henry Ford Macomb Hospital on multiple occasions for treatment related to blurry vision and chronic headaches. She presented through the emergency department, the suit states, and wound up getting molested by Aejaz during her treatment there.
“Aejaz performed inappropriate, offensive, and/or sexual acts on (the woman),” the lawsuit states, adding he also “took recorded and retained inappropriate, offensive, and/or sexual photos and videos” of her.
According to the lawsuit, the woman confirmed her identity in the photos and videos, which included inappropriate offensive, and/or sexual touching, during a meeting with law enforcement on Aug. 7. Her lawsuit seeks at least $25,000 in damages.
The third plaintiff is a Sterling Heights woman who went to Henry Ford Macomb Hospital for heart issues. She alleges that she was “photographed and videotaped in inappropriate and compromising positions and inappropriately touched” by Aejaz during her treatment at the hospital. The lawsuit did not specify when this allegedly happened.
The Free Press is not naming the women because the company generally does not name sexual assault victims.
“Our clients allege that not only did Dr. Aejaz videotape them when they presented to the hospital for care, but also the doctor engaged in unwanted sexual contact with them during interactions … at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital,” Fieger Law said in a statement, adding its lawyers also have discovered in patient records that complaints were made about Aejaz and his behavior to Henry Ford Macomb Hospital.
Additionally, Fieger Law says, law enforcement alleges that in some cases, Aejaz was seeing patients who were not assigned to him.
Aejaz landed on law enforcement’s radar in August 2024, after his wife tipped off authorities that he had been secretly recording her and their two minor children, as well as female relatives. She also told investigators that she found recordings of individuals undressing at the Goldfish Swim School in Rochester Hills, and produced materials that raised concern among authorities.
An investigation followed, with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office eventually seizing six computers, four cellphones and 15 external hard drives — one of the drives alone had 13,000 videos on it. Investigators estimate there could be hundreds of victims.
Aejaz will be sentenced on Dec. 2 and faces up to life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison for first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sexually abusive doctor triggers 3 more lawsuits for Henry Ford Health system
Reporting by Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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