According to his lawyer, Leonard Levine, former University of Southern California (USC) gynecologist George Tyndall was found dead in his Los Angeles home. Tyndall, who was facing 35 criminal counts of sexual misconduct, was awaiting trial for allegations of sexually assaulting numerous students between 2009 and 2016 at the university’s student health center. He had pleaded not guilty in 2019 and was out on bond.
A close friend discovered Tyndall’s body in his bed after he failed to answer her phone calls. Levine stated that there is currently no evidence of foul play or suicide, and an autopsy will be conducted by the coroner’s office.
Tyndall was scheduled to appear in court later this month to set a trial date. Throughout the legal proceedings, he maintained his innocence and expressed a desire to present his case before a jury.
Hundreds of women came forward with allegations against Tyndall, but some cases fell outside the statute of limitations, while others lacked sufficient evidence for criminal charges. Despite this, Tyndall faced a potential prison sentence of up to 64 years if convicted.
In 2021, USC reached an $852 million settlement with over 700 women who accused Tyndall of sexual abuse. Tyndall was deposed for the settlement but did not contribute any money or admit to any wrongdoing. Additionally, USC agreed to pay $215 million to settle a class-action lawsuit involving approximately 18,000 women who were patients of Tyndall.
The allegations against Tyndall first surfaced in 2018 through an investigation by the Los Angeles Times, which revealed complaints of sexual misconduct dating back to the 1990s. He was not suspended until 2016 when a nurse reported him to a rape crisis center. Tyndall subsequently resigned with a significant payout the following year and surrendered his medical license in September 2019.
