State Board of Medical Examiners Revokes Licenses of Two North Jersey Doctors Amid Allegations of Sexual Misconduct with Female Patients
NEWARK – Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and the Division of Consumer Affairs today announced that the State Board of Medical Examiners (“the Board”) has revoked the licenses of two North Jersey doctors amid allegations of sexual misconduct with female patients.
Dr. Raja K Jagtiani, an internist in Bergenfield, consented to a revocation of his license on the same day he pleaded guilty to criminal sexual contact involving five patients and three female employees. Dr. Jadan H. Abbassi, an anesthesiologist in Clifton, surrendered his license to be deemed a permanent revocation earlier this month, agreeing to settle allegations he engaged in inappropriate behavior with a patient that violated the Board’s sexual misconduct regulations. Abbassi denies those allegations.
“Doctor-patient trust serves as the bedrock of the medical profession, and sexual exploitation of patients is the gravest imaginable violation of this trust,” said Attorney General Porrino. “We will continue to ensure that these licensed predators are weeded out of our medical community.”
“These revocations reinforce the Board’s commitment to protecting consumers from medical practitioners who put their own prurient interests over the well-being of their patients,” said Steve Lee, director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “Patient safety is the Board’s top priority and all allegations of doctor sexual misconduct will be vigorously investigated and addressed appropriately.”
In September 2015, the Board temporarily suspended Jagtiani’s license pending the outcome of criminal charges alleging that between 2011 and 2015, he committed criminal sexual contact against five patients and three of his employees. On September 24, 2016, Jagtiani pleaded guilty in Bergen County Superior Court to one count of criminal sexual contact involving all eight victims. On that day, the Board revoked Jagtiani’s license, finding he engaged in “repeated acts of negligence, repeated professional misconduct, sexual misconduct, and acts constituting crimes of moral turpitude and crimes which relate adversely to the practice of medicine.”
Under the terms of the Consent Order, Jagtiani is barred from applying for a license reinstatement for 10 years. Prior to the granting of any application for licensure, Jagtiani must appear before a committee of the Board to demonstrate his fitness to resume practice, and demonstrate he has completed an educational course on professional boundaries and undergone competency and psychosexual evaluations. The Board reserves the right to set conditions or limits on his medical license, if it is reinstated. Jagtiani must also pay a $20,000 civil penalty and reimburse the state $4,343 for investigation costs prior to any license reinstatement.
Abbassi allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature with a patient during the first six months of 2015. That alleged conduct, if proven, would constitute violations of the Board’s sexual misconduct regulation; gross or repeated malpractice; and professional misconduct that would support a license suspension or revocation, according to the Board.
Abbassi denies he engaged in such behavior, but agreed to settle the Board’s allegations without the institution of a formal disciplinary proceeding. Under a Consent Order filed on October 7, Abbassi agrees to retire from medical practice and to give up his license in a voluntary surrender to be deemed a revocation. That revocation is effective on November 1, 2016. Effective immediately, he may not accept any new patients into his practice and must treat all current female patients only in presence of a Board-approved chaperone. Effective immediately, Abbassi’s authority to prescribe Controlled Dangerous Substances in New Jersey is permanently revoked.
These investigations were conducted by the Enforcement Bureau of the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Deputy Attorney General Christopher Salloum from the Division of Law represented the state in the Abbassi matter. Deputy Attorney General Delia DeLisi of the Division of Law represented the state in the Jagtiani matter.
Aidan P. O'Connor, Esq. of Pashman, Stein Walder Hayden, PC represented Jagtiani in this matter.
Joseph Gorrell, Esq., of Brach Eichler, LLC, represented Abbassi in this matter.
Patients who believe that they have been treated by a licensed health care professional in an inappropriate manner can file an
online complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its
website or by calling
1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or
973-504- 6200.
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