Cowardly doctor charged with sex crimes hides his face as he leaves court after posting $1.5million bond

A liver doctor charged with using his position to sexually assault patients for decades tried to cover his face from the cameras after he posted a $1.5million bond.

Dr John Hoefs, 79, is accused of groping dozens of female patients since 2006 at UCI Medical Center and a clinic at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in southern California.

The hepatologist put his hand over his face as he exited Orange County Superior Court in Newport Beach on Wednesday with his wife and daughter, who aggressively tried to block the cameras.

Hoefs, who lives in Irvine, was previously released from jail after posting a $500,000 bond in May, but was arrested again after more charges were filed.

He has pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of sexual battery by fraud and three felony counts of sexual battery. 

Hoefs is accused of demanding that his female patients undress and expose their breasts even though he was examining their livers.

One of the alleged victims claimed Hoefs groped her breasts during five separate appointments that began in 2020 that were meant to treat a liver condition.

The woman claims she tried to cover herself with a gown but Hoefs pulled it down to expose her chest. 

The second alleged victim says Hoefs toucher her breasts while examining her in 2016 and again in 2017. 

Hoefs has also been sued by 15 other women who claim the physician forced them to expose their chest and in many cases groped them under the guise of medical treatment.

One woman claimed in the suit, filed in August, that Hoefs claimed he was 'feeling for her liver' as he touched her breasts and pointed out he was aroused, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. 

'Many of the female patients who were sexually abused by Hoefs were fighting for their lives against aggressive forms of liver cancer and hepatitis at the time they sought treatment,' according to the lawsuit.

'When, in return, Hoefs viciously violated that trust and confidence in order to sexually abuse these extremely vulnerable patients.' 

One woman claims she showed Hoefs a picture of a bruise to seek his advice but he said, he 'did not have time to look at photographs unless they were of her in a bikini.'

The suit also named Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and the Regents of the University of California.

The LA Times and the suit claim that Hoefs was repeatedly reported on online forums and to the California Medical Board, but he was not stopped until his arrest in May. 

The California Medical Board suspended Hoefs' medical license and UCI Medical Center and Hoag Memorial terminated their relationship with the doctor following his arrest.

Hoag has claimed Hoefs never worked for them.

'Like many other private practice physicians, Dr. Hoefs leased office space in a building owned by Hoag,' they said in a statement.

'Upon learning of his arrest, Hoag’s medical staff immediately suspended his hospital privileges and Hoag suspended access to his leased space.'