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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A 50-year-old dentist charged with sexually abusing nine patients at his Koreatown office appeared today before a Los Angeles judge, who ordered him held without bail until his Egyptian passport is surrendered or proof is presented that it has expired.
Emad Fathy Moawad, who has dual citizenship, made his initial court appearance Monday on nine counts of sexual battery by restraint, three counts of sexual penetration by use of force and one count of attempted sexual penetration by use of force.
Arraignment for Moawad, who was arrested last Thursday and is being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, was rescheduled to June 23.
When the passport situation is sorted out, his bail will be reset at $1.955 million. He was ordered not to leave Los Angeles County and not to practice dentistry if released on bond.
Prosecutors allege the assaults happened between 2013 and 2018 at the dentist's office on Beverly Boulevard and Normandie Avenue. The victims ranged in age from 27 to 73 years old.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon alleged that the defendant targeted patients unlikely to report his crimes and urged any other victims to come forward.
“This case is especially concerning because its victims are low-income people and immigrants who are less likely to report crimes due to fear,'' Gascon said when the case was filed Monday. ”We are asking other possible victims to come forward and help us keep our community safe.''
Anyone with information about the case was encouraged to call the Los Angeles Police Department's Operation West Bureau Special Assault Section at 213-473-0447.
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