US doctor sues over sex charges involving his twin

A U.S. doctor has sued a Seattle-area newspaper for defamation after it reported he posed as his twin, a gynecologist, to have sex with his brother's patients.

Dennis Momah said the King County Journal defamed him in 2003 when it published an article that said: "Two twin brothers were taking turns having sex with patients on a regular basis without the patients' knowledge that they were two different people."

Momah, who filed the lawsuit in King County Superior Court this week, also sued Harish Bharti, an attorney quoted in the paper who represents six female patients of Charles Momah, Dennis Momah's twin and a gynecologist.

Charles Momah is being sued by some of his former patients, who say that he switched places with Dennis, giving him access to his gynecological patients.

In February, six patients said in a lawsuit that they were sometimes deceived into being seen, examined, operated on and sexually fondled by Dennis Momah, a general practitioner who is not certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

Charles Momah, who had medical practices in two suburbs south of Seattle, has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges of rape, indecent liberties and insurance fraud. That trial is scheduled for Oct. 4.

Dennis Momah, who has not been charged with any crime, said in his lawsuit that the article was "published negligently and with reckless disregard for the truth."

Barbara Morgan, executive editor of the King County Journal, said the newspaper had not been served and did not know the details of Momah's lawsuit.

Dennis Momah's lawyer, Timothy Ford, said the media coverage had ruined his Nigeria-born client's career.

"Right now he's looking for work," Ford said.

Bharti was not immediately available for comment, and phones to Charles Momah's practices were disconnected.