A Paris court has handed down a permanent ban and prison sentences to two surgeons following the death of 65-year-old billionaire diamond dealer Ehud Arye Laniado. The Belgian-Israeli businessman suffered a fatal heart attack in 2021 during a penis enlargement procedure at the prestigious Saint-Honore-Ponthieu aesthetic clinic.
Legal Verdict and Sentencing
On Wednesday, a Paris court delivered a strict ruling against the lead surgeon, known as Guy H, and his assistant who was standing in on the night of the incident.
- Guy H (Lead Surgeon): Sentenced to 15 months in prison, ordered to pay a €50,000 (£43,323) fine, and permanently banned from practicing medicine.
- The Assistant Surgeon: Received a 12-month suspended sentence, a €20,000 (£17,329) fine, and was also permanently banned from the medical profession.
The investigation, which initially looked into manslaughter, eventually shifted to charges of failing to assist a person in danger, drug offenses, and practicing medicine without a license.
The Fatal Procedure
Laniado, the wealthy owner of Omega Diamonds, was a regular client of Guy H, reportedly undergoing procedures two to four times a year at a cost of tens of thousands of euros. The fatal procedure involved injections into the penis to increase its size.
While the injections themselves were eventually ruled out as the direct cause of death, the investigation focused on the timeline of the emergency response.
A Two-Hour Delay in Emergency Care
Investigators raised critical questions regarding a two-hour gap in the surgeons’ response:
- 8:00 PM: An initial call for help was placed.
- 10:00 PM: A second call was placed specifically to the fire department.
The defense argued that the delay was due to Laniado’s irritable behavior and complaints of abdominal pain, which they believed to be an ulcer flare-up rather than a cardiac event. “This cardiac incident could have happened anywhere, even in a pizzeria,” argued defense lawyer Martin Reynaud.
“Bending the Rules”
Despite the defense’s claims, an unnamed Parisian practitioner told Le Parisien that the incident did not surprise those familiar with the clinic’s high-end operations. They noted that in the “upper echelons of cosmetic surgery,” practitioners often operate out of office hours and “bend the rules” for high-paying, wealthy clients.
The permanent bans and prison time mark a decisive stance by French authorities against medical malpractice in the aesthetic surgery industry.
Case Overview:
- Victim: Ehud Arye Laniado (65)
- Location: Saint-Honore-Ponthieu Clinic, Paris
- Conviction: Failure to assist, practicing without a license, and drug offenses.
- Outcome: Permanent medical bans for both defendants.
Source: The Mirror
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