Third lawsuit filed against dentist accused of indecently assaulting patients

Jun. 12—A third woman filed a lawsuit against Scranton dentist Dr. Albert Hazzouri, alleging he indecently assaulted her several times, including two incidents that occurred about a month after he was criminally charged with assaulting another woman.

The Throop woman claims Hazzouri would sometimes kiss her on the lips following appointments and that he rubbed her breast and pressed his pelvis against her arm on June 9, 2021, and July 20, 2021. On Aug. 17, 2021, he offered to give her a piggyback ride as he walked her out of his office, then grabbed her breast after she declined the offer, according to the suit.

The Times Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.

The allegations mirror claims made by three other women, including two who filed lawsuits and one whose allegations led Scranton police to charge Hazzouri on June 28, 2021, with indecent assault and harassment.

In the criminal case, a woman said Hazzouri grabbed her buttocks and breasts after she declined to climb on his back as he walked her out following a May 19, 2021, appointment. The woman told police the assault occurred in a stairwell, according to the arrest affidavit, but prosecutors later amended the charges to say it occurred in the parking lot.

Hazzouri pleaded guilty in January 2022 to simple assault and was immediately sentenced to one year of probation.

Attempts to reach Hazzouri for comment were unsuccessful. His attorney, Michael Perry, said the allegations in all three lawsuits are "nonsense."

The two earlier lawsuits, filed last year by attorney Jason Mattioli, also allege, in part, that Hazzouri rubbed womens' breasts during dental treatments. One of the women also alleged he sometimes kissed her.

"They are all copycat claims," said Perry. "They are all out for money."

Perry noted the alleged assaults in all three cases occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hazzouri always dressed in protective gear that would make it impossible for him to have committed the offenses, he said.

"Dr. Hazzouri wore a hazmat suit and face shield," Perry said. "How could he kiss anyone on the lips?"

Told of Perry's comments, Goffer said the womens' claims against Hazzouri are similar because "this is what he does."

"This is not an isolated incident," Goffer said. "This is his pattern."

Goffer and Mattioli also criticized District Attorney Mark Powell's handling of the criminal case, including his decision to amend the charges to say the assault occurred in the parking lot — a decision they said helped ensure Hazzouri could keep his dental license.

"If it was on the premises he would have lost his license," Goffer said. "Why would you change the affidavit of probable cause and have him plead guilty to something that is solely to his benefit?"

In an email, Powell defended his handling of the criminal case, as well as his decision not to file charges related to Mattioli's clients.

Powell said he allowed Hazzouri to plead guilty to simple assault because the victim, through her attorney, refused to testify at trial. He said he amended the complaint to say the assault occurred in the parking lot "because that is factually correct."

Regarding his decision not to file charges relating to Mattioli's clients, Powell said one of the women continued to treat with Hazzouri after being assaulted in exchange for free Botox treatments. In the other case, a dental hygienist present during one of the assaults did not corroborate the victim's claims.

"As I have said in the past, we thoroughly investigated each and every case ... and brought charges in the cases we believed could result in a conviction," he said.

Powell said, to his knowledge, Goffer's client has never spoken to police.

"I would strongly encourage her to come forward with any allegations of criminal conduct," Powell said.

Goffer said his client did not know Hazzouri faced criminal charges when she treated with him and stopped as soon as she found out. She has not reported the assaults to police because she does not believe anything will be done.

He said she hopes the lawsuit, which seeks damages against Hazzouri and the dental practice, will hold him accountable.

"He is still practicing and nothing is being done to him," Goffer said.

Powell noted he reported Hazzouri's case to the state board of dentistry. Mattioli said he's been advised the board is investigating Hazzouri, noting investigators asked his clients to testify.

No disciplinary action had been taken as of Monday against Hazzouri's license, which expired on March 31, according to the Department of State's licensing website.

Perry said the expiration is a "paperwork issue" relating to continuing education credits dentists are required to take.

"He fulfilled the continuing education credits, but the paperwork never made its way to the board," Perry said.

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter.