Sex Abuse Litigation

All major cases

USC and Dr. George Tyndall

Decades of complaints about a University of Southern California campus gynecologist, the 2018 investigation that exposed them, and the criminal case and record civil settlements that followed.

51 developments, 2018–2024, oldest first.

2018

  1. LA Times reveals USC let gynecologist keep treating students despite years of complaints

    A Los Angeles Times investigation reported that USC received complaints for decades about campus gynecologist George Tyndall's conduct toward young women but allowed him to keep practicing and quietly let him resign in 2017 without reporting him to the medical board.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  2. Former USC students describe decades of troubling conduct by campus gynecologist

    Former patients spanning several decades told the Times about inappropriate comments and examinations by Tyndall, broadening the account of his time at the student health center.

    Allegation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  3. USC fires two health clinic supervisors amid gynecologist scandal

    USC dismissed two supervisors at its student health center over their handling of complaints about Tyndall as reports from former patients poured in.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by NBC Los Angeles

  4. 200 USC professors demand President Nikias resign over Tyndall handling

    Two hundred USC faculty members signed a letter calling for President C.L. Max Nikias to step down, while the board of trustees initially expressed confidence in him.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  5. About 300 former patients come forward as LAPD begins Tyndall investigation

    Roughly 300 people contacted USC about Tyndall and the university began sharing patient information with the Los Angeles Police Department, which opened a criminal investigation.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  6. Records show students warned USC about gynecologist early in his career

    Former patients said they complained to USC about Tyndall as early as the 1990s, suggesting the university missed early chances to act.

    Allegation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  7. USC Academic Senate calls on Nikias to resign

    USC's faculty governing body voted to call for President Nikias's resignation following the Tyndall revelations and a series of other campus scandals.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  8. USC President C.L. Max Nikias agrees to step down

    USC's board of trustees announced that Nikias would step down as president amid mounting pressure over the university's handling of the Tyndall complaints.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  9. More women sue USC as Tyndall defends himself in letter to The Times

    Fourteen more women filed lawsuits alleging Tyndall abused them during exams and that USC ignored complaints, while Tyndall denied wrongdoing in a letter to the newspaper.

    Lawsuit filed University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  10. Federal Education Department opens investigation into USC's handling of Tyndall complaints

    The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights began investigating whether USC violated Title IX in responding to complaints about its campus gynecologist.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  11. LAPD serves search warrants at ex-USC gynecologist's home and storage unit

    Police detectives searched Tyndall's Los Angeles home and a storage facility as part of the criminal investigation into allegations from former patients.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  12. At least 200 former students join lawsuits against USC over Tyndall

    The number of former students suing USC grew to at least 200, alleging the university ignored warnings about Tyndall for nearly 30 years.

    Lawsuit filed University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  13. Tyndall retains high-profile criminal defense attorney

    Tyndall hired prominent Los Angeles defense lawyer Leonard Levine as police continued their investigation and civil suits mounted.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  14. 51 more Tyndall patients sue USC as board chairman pledges expedited inquiry

    Fifty-one additional women filed suit against USC and Tyndall, and trustees chairman Rick Caruso said the university's internal investigation would be expedited.

    Lawsuit filed University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  15. Nikias formally steps down; Wanda Austin becomes interim USC president

    Nikias left the presidency earlier than planned after calls to hasten his departure, with trustee Wanda Austin named interim president.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Fox News

  16. Tyndall's medical license suspended pending state medical board decision

    Tyndall was barred from practicing medicine while the Medical Board of California weighed a final decision on his license.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Daily Trojan

  17. USC restructures student health center in wake of Tyndall scandal

    USC leaders described staffing and oversight changes at the Engemann Student Health Center aimed at rebuilding student trust.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Daily Trojan

  18. USC agrees to tentative $215 million class-action settlement with Tyndall patients

    USC announced a proposed $215 million federal class-action settlement covering former patients of Tyndall, with tiered payments and campus reforms.

    Settlement University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  19. More than 250 women file state-court suits against USC, rejecting class deal

    Attorneys for more than 250 former Tyndall patients filed lawsuits in state court and criticized the proposed federal settlement.

    Lawsuit filed University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Daily Trojan

  20. Grand jury convened to hear evidence against ex-USC gynecologist

    Los Angeles County prosecutors convened a criminal grand jury to hear evidence about Tyndall's alleged abuse of patients.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  21. Police found trove of nude images in Tyndall's storage unit, sources say

    Investigators reportedly recovered large numbers of images of women from a storage unit tied to Tyndall early in the LAPD probe.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

2019

  1. Revised $215 million settlement agreement filed in federal court

    USC filed its formal class-action settlement agreement detailing payment tiers and reforms, even as federal regulators continued investigating.

    Settlement University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  2. State judge orders USC to produce internal Tyndall records

    A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered USC to turn over internal records to attorneys representing hundreds of plaintiffs in the state litigation.

    Lawsuit filed University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Daily Trojan

  3. USC names Carol Folt president as it tries to move past scandals

    USC chose former UNC chancellor Carol Folt as its 12th president following Nikias's ouster over the Tyndall scandal.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  4. Questions raised over how much of USC's internal Tyndall investigation will stay secret

    The Times reported that the findings of a trustee-commissioned outside investigation into the Tyndall affair might never be made public.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  5. Los Angeles Times wins Pulitzer Prize for Tyndall investigation

    The Times won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for its series exposing Tyndall's conduct and USC's response.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  6. Federal judge delays preliminary approval of $215 million Tyndall settlement

    A federal judge held off on preliminary approval of the class settlement, citing questions about how payments would be distributed.

    Settlement University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Daily Trojan

  7. Unsealed records show USC was warned Tyndall could be targeting Asian students

    Confidential documents released in litigation showed outside medical reviewers had warned USC that Tyndall might be preying on Asian international students.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  8. Judge grants preliminary approval of USC's $215 million class settlement

    U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson granted preliminary approval to the federal class-action settlement for Tyndall's former patients.

    Settlement University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  9. George Tyndall arrested and charged with 29 felonies involving 16 patients

    LAPD arrested Tyndall and Los Angeles County prosecutors charged him with sexual penetration and sexual battery counts involving 16 women treated at the student health center.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  10. Detectives seek to identify women in videos and photos seized from Tyndall

    Authorities said they recovered thousands of videos and photos during the investigation and were working to identify women depicted.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  11. Tyndall pleads not guilty to sexual abuse charges

    Tyndall pleaded not guilty to all 29 felony counts at his arraignment in Los Angeles.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  12. Judge lowers Tyndall's bail to $1.6 million

    A judge reduced Tyndall's bail from $2.1 million to $1.6 million after a hearing in which prosecutors cited evidence seized in the investigation.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by CBS Los Angeles

  13. Tyndall released from jail after posting bail

    Tyndall was released from custody after posting bail while awaiting trial on the felony charges.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by ABC7 Los Angeles

  14. California law reopens filing window for Tyndall survivors

    Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1510, allowing former patients of Tyndall to revive claims that would otherwise be time-barred; USC had lobbied against the bill.

    Legislation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Daily Trojan

2020

  1. Federal judge says he will approve USC's $215 million Tyndall class settlement

    U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson said he was inclined to grant final approval to the federal class settlement and to appoint a special master to oversee individual awards.

    Settlement University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by NBC Los Angeles

  2. Education Department finds USC failed students in Tyndall case; reforms required

    The Office for Civil Rights concluded USC systemically failed to respond to complaints about Tyndall and entered a resolution agreement requiring Title IX reforms and monitoring.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by PBS NewsHour

  3. Six more felony counts filed against Tyndall

    Prosecutors added six counts of sexual assault and battery involving five additional women, bringing the total to 35 felony counts.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  4. Report: Ousted USC president Nikias received $7.6 million payout

    Tax filings showed Nikias received about $7.6 million in compensation after he was pushed out over the Tyndall scandal.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by American School & University

  5. Tyndall pleads not guilty to new felony charges

    Tyndall entered not-guilty pleas to the additional charges involving alleged crimes between 2011 and 2015.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

2021

  1. USC agrees to $852 million settlement, bringing Tyndall payouts above $1.1 billion

    USC reached an $852 million settlement with about 710 women in state court, which with the federal class deal brought total payouts to more than $1.1 billion, the largest sexual abuse settlement in higher education history.

    Settlement University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  2. Tyndall settlement leaves some survivors bitter over payout disparities

    The Times reported wide disparities between payments to plaintiffs in the state-court deal and those in the federal class settlement.

    Settlement University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  3. Tyndall accusers call for investigation of top USC officials

    Former patients and their advocates urged authorities to investigate whether USC administrators knew of Tyndall's alleged abuse and failed to act.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

2022

  1. Preliminary hearing continues in Tyndall criminal case

    Former patients testified as the lengthy preliminary hearing on the felony charges against Tyndall continued.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by CBS Los Angeles

  2. New book by LA Times reporter details how USC scandals nearly went untold

    Times journalist Paul Pringle published an account of the reporting behind the Tyndall and Puliafito stories and the obstacles the newsroom faced.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Daily Trojan

2023

  1. Tyndall ordered to stand trial on sexual assault charges

    After a preliminary hearing, a judge ruled there was sufficient evidence for Tyndall to stand trial on charges involving 16 patients.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

  2. Tyndall pleads not guilty to 27 felony counts ahead of trial

    Tyndall entered not-guilty pleas to 18 counts of sexual penetration and nine counts of sexual battery remaining in the case.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Daily Trojan

  3. George Tyndall found dead at home while awaiting trial

    Tyndall, 76, was found dead at his Los Angeles home before his criminal trial, leaving the charges unresolved.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times

2024

  1. Medical examiner attributes Tyndall's death to natural causes

    The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported that Tyndall died of cardiovascular disease.

    Investigation University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles County Medical Examiner

  2. Criminal case against Tyndall formally dismissed after his death

    A judge dismissed the criminal case against Tyndall following his death, ending the prosecution without a verdict.

    Criminal charges University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by ABC7 Los Angeles

  3. Carol Folt, hired after Tyndall scandal, to retire as USC president

    Folt announced her retirement, with her tenure credited with addressing the Tyndall-era scandals but criticized over other campus issues.

    Policy change University of Southern CaliforniaUnited States, CaliforniaReported by Los Angeles Times