Bogus Craigslist ‘doctor’ who advertised for paid female volunteers for ‘anatomy research’ charged with 17 counts of rape
A Provo, Utah, man posing as a doctor on Craigslist was offering female volunteers $200 to take part in a research study. Interested parties were invited to his office to participate in a trial for the testing of new medical devices. It’s uncertain how many responded to the ad and actually went to the phony doctor’s office; but two women complained to officials in the Utah County Sheriff’s Office which led to an undercover sting.
The first victim told police that during the research study, the man posing as the doctor took pictures of her genitals and “then penetrated her with his fingers and a metal object. The second made nearly identical allegations,” according to the Sun Herald. One of the female victims informed police that she was told originally that those tests would be performed on her by an engineer and a doctor. But when she arrived at the office, only the bogus doctor, Borzin Mottaghian, 34, was present.
He allegedly told her he was working on a new surgical catheter and had her sign a nondisclosure form and paperwork describing the supposed “research.” After instructing her to disrobe from the waist down, he took pictures of her genitals and “used his hands and other objects to penetrate her vagina and anus,” according to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
After a second woman came forward to complain to authorities, an undercover detective emailed the bogus doctor and arranged to meet in his office. Mottaghian was arrested before any other examinations took place. According to a release from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office: “On October 25, 2017, Detectives executed a search warrant on the office Mottaghian used in this case. They found implements identified by the victim as those used by Mottaghian. He told the victims in this case the exams would be performed by a doctor. Mottaghian is the one, in the first case, who actually conducted the “exam” and the interview in the second case. Investigators also learned that Mottaghian is not a physician of any kind and is not licensed to perform any kind of medical procedures.”
The Washington Post reported that Mottaghian was charged Tuesday with 17 felonies, including counts of object rape and forcible sex abuse. He was being held on a $250,000 cash bail. Police fear that there may be other victims out there. Anyone who believes they may have participated in this “research” and been victimized by Mottaghian is asked to contact Detectives at (801) 851-4010, or, contact Utah Valley Dispatch at (801)794-3970.
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Written by: Ace News Today Staff
