Palo Alto Doctor Sentenced In Sex Abuse Case: DOJ

PALO ALTO, CA — A Palo Alto cardiologist was sentenced to eight months in prison in connection with his conviction for abusive sexual contact, the Department of Justice said Tuesday in a news release.

John Giacomini, 73, of Atherton, pleaded guilty to the charge March 2, according to the DOJ.

In addition to the prison term, Giacomini was ordered to serve one year of supervised release, pay a fine of $15,000 and pay mandatory special assessment fees.

Giacomini practiced medicine and cardiology for over 30 years and was the chief of the Cardiology Section at Palo Alto’s VA Hospital.

Giacomini in his plea admitted that beginning in the fall of 2017, he repeatedly subjected a subordinate doctor to unwanted and unwelcome sexual contact, including hugging, kissing and intimate touching while on VA premises, the DOJ said.

Giacomini continued to subject his subordinates to unwanted sexual advances and touching after the victim told him she was not interested in a romantic or sexual relationship with him and forcibly resisted his repeated attempts to kiss her on the mouth, according to the DOJ.

In one incident, Giacomini aggressively groped the female victim’s breasts, buttocks and vagina during a meeting in her office, the DOJ said.

The victim later resigned from her position at the VA, citing Giacomini’s behavior as her principal reason for leaving, according to the DOJ.

The victim at Tuesday’s sentencing spoke about the harm she suffered from Giacomini’s sexual harassment and abuse.

“I felt overwhelming disappointment that my chief and former mentor who I trusted would abuse his position like that. During that period at the VA, I felt a myriad of emotions, from fear to helplessness to disgust to anger and finally sadness,” she said.

She expressed her wish to prevent other female doctors from suffering her fate.

“The primary reason I reported these events was to help prevent this from happening to anyone else again, especially women fellows in the field of cardiology,” she said.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Freeman cited the egregiousness of Giacomini’s conduct, the victim’s courage in coming forward and the pervasiveness of workplace sexual assault as compelling factors justifying the imposition of a prison sentence, as opposed to a lesser sentence of probation or home detention, the DOJ said.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General and the Veterans Affairs Police Service.