Advanced Search  |  Sitemap  |  Contact Us
  
 

FOLLOW US

Subscription required for full online access

Current subscribers to the Buffalo Law Journal, click here to create an account for full online access.

Not a subscriber? Click here to see subscription options. Questions about your online access? Call us at 716-541-1650.

Bizjournals Legal News

Google Legal News

Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories

Pair accused of sex abuse in fake exams of woman

Mon, Aug 18th 2008 12:00 am
NEW CITY (AP) - A policeman and a businessman sexually abused a woman repeatedly by persuading her that they could conduct legitimate medical exams, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The indictment lists 28 separate counts of sexual abuse against each man. At least two medical exams were conducted on the woman, Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said.

Zalman Silber, 41, of Monsey, and Andrew Dale, 34, of Suffern, were also charged with practicing medicine without a license. Dale, who was a Ramapo police officer at the time of the alleged crimes in 2005 and 2006, was charged with official misconduct. He has since been suspended.

The district attorney said that only Dale is accused of actually touching the woman illegally, while Silber is accused of "aiding and abetting the cop to conduct the exam in his presence." Zugibe would give no other details.

The alleged crimes occurred in Rockland County. Silber is facing similar charges in Manhattan for allegedly posing as a doctor and sexually abusing two women during fake exams in 2003 and 2004. That case is pending, said Alicia Maxey Greene of the Manhattan district attorney's office.

Silber created the New York Skyride at the Empire State Building, which simulates a bird's-eye tour of New York City. He reportedly sold it for $9 million.

The two men pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the Rockland charges and were released pending a court appearance Sept. 9.

Silber's defense attorney, William Aronwald, said the alleged victim "has a long history of mental illness." He said she did not come forward until about two years after the alleged crime, there is no physical evidence, and "her claims are unprovable."

Dale's attorney, David Goldstein, said, "It's odd when you see charges that are totally made up. We'll prove these charges are totally false."