Civil lawsuit filed against Hoag and O.C. doctor charged with sexually assaulting patients
Several former patients of Dr. William Thompson IV, who is facing multiple charges of sexual assault, described him as someone they trusted without question during a news conference Thursday announcing a civil lawsuit has been filed in Orange County Superior Court against Thompson and Hoag Hospital.
Julio Hernandez, one of the plaintiffs who spoke during the media event held in Irvine, called the doctor a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
Many of the 73 men represented in the suit said they sought out Thompson’s care for infectious conditions or for his services as a primary care doctor.
Other alleged victims said they received treatment from him by circumstance — emergency room visits they said went awry when Thompson allegedly subjected them to what they felt were excessive and invasive tests.
All were in agreement that they came out of their time with Thompson feeling the same way: that they could not trust doctors, and that it would be a long time before they would find one that they could trust again. They also maintain that the hospital Thompson was affiliated with — Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian — was culpable.
On his website, which is no longer live, Thompson described himself as someone who could provide “general practitioner services to the LGBTQ community.”
Complaints of Thompson’s behavior were investigated by the California Department of Consumer Affairs and the Newport Beach Police Department and he was arrested on Sept. 20, 2023. At the time, he was charged with sexually assaulting nine male patients between 2016 and 2020 under the pretense of “necessary” medical examinations by the Orange County district attorney’s office.
Thompson was, at the time of his arrest, an infectious disease specialist. His LinkedIn page indicates that he ran a clinic in Orange County full time on Superior Avenue. According to the Medical Board of California, Thompson’s license is current but has been suspended. It is set to expire at the end of August of this year.
Court documents list a total of 21 counts of felony charges against Thompson that include sexual battery by fraud, forcible oral copulation, sexual battery by fraud and sexual penetration by means of fraudulent representation of professional purpose. If convicted on all counts, Thompson would face 30 years to life plus 25 years.
Thompson pleaded not guilty to all charges on Nov. 2.
Although, as of Dec. 29, the number of victims, all listed in the civil suit as John Does, has reached 73, attorneys at the Manly, Stewart & Finaldi Law Office say they believe the total number of victims could reach into the hundreds. Attorneys, along with the plaintiffs present, urged other survivors to come forward.
A second civil lawsuit is expected to be filed in the next two weeks, bringing the total number of identified victims to more than 80, according to the attorneys.
“Over the span of a decade, Dr. Thompson is alleged to have utilized his position as a medical doctor to sexually abuse men that sought treatment from him. He used the authority granted to him by Hoag Hospital to create that trust and an air of authority,” said attorney Morgan Stewart. “Under the alleged guise of medical treatments, Dr. Thompson is alleged to have performed unnecessary and inappropriate medical procedures for his own sexual gratification.”
The 730-page-long lawsuit announced Thursday details experiences that patients had with Thompson and, in the complaint, attorneys allege the Hoag knew of Thompson’s harassment but failed to stop or report his actions to law enforcement or the California Medical Board to protect their own financial interests.
The suit does not specify the monetary damages sought, leaving that figure to be determined at trial.
Hoag issued a statement after the press conference saying it condemned Thompson’s alleged conduct and “recognizes the courage it takes for former patients to come forward.”
“Dr. Thompson operated an independent medical practice and was not employed by Hoag or its affiliates,” the statement reads. “He had clinical privileges at Hoag Hospital which were summarily suspended by the medical staff following the filing of criminal charges against him. We recognize that the legal process must take its course and we will continue to cooperate in all respects with the ongoing criminal proceedings against Dr. Thompson.
“For the last seven decades, Hoag has been committed to providing world-class care defined by respect, integrity, compassion and excellence for all patients, including members of the LGBTQ+ community.”
An attorney for Thompson could not be immediately reached for comment.
According to court documents, Thompson has been out on a bail of $500,000 since his arraignment. He is expected to appear in court at the Harbor Justice Center on March 15.
Though a number of victims identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community shared testimony at the press conference Thursday, Matthew Lervold — identified as John Doe 29 in the lawsuit — described the alleged crimes as targeted at men at large.
“This is a men’s story. Not all of us up here are LGBTQ. There are those of us who are not part of that community and got abused by Dr. Thompson,” Lervold said. “The #MeToo movement was a terrific thing for everyone in this world. But the men felt a little left out through that time. It was a women’s movement, and it was a powerful one, but [sexual assault] does happen to men too, and it happened to us.”
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