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When women walked into Raffaele Lorenzo Di Paolo’s Melbourne surgery, they thought they were putting their body in the hands of a registered and qualified doctor, gynaecologist and IVF specialist.
Di Paolo allegedly told his patients that he was an Italian-trained fertility specialist who practiced alternate treatments, such as homeopathic remedies from Germany.
He had an elaborate set up, including syringes and ultrasound equipment and medical meds. And he wasn’t cheap either: between 2006 and 2015, Di Paolo collected more than $342 000 from his patients.
However, this man is not a medical specialist.
After searching the academic records of numerous Universities, Police could not find any evidence to indicate that Di Paolo was a graduate.
As a result, Di Paolo appeared in court yesterday, charged with 88 offences, including counts of rape, sexual penetration, indecent assault, obtaining money by deception and fraud.
Police allege that he preyed on women desperate to fall pregnant.
One woman alleges that Di Paolo injected her in the stomach with sperm, after extracting the sperm from the husband of another patient using a syringe to the testicles without anaesthetic.
Another women alleges that he sent her an ultrasound via text, claiming that she was pregnant. She then went to Epworth Hospital where tests showed that she was not – and had never been – pregnant. Prosecutors believe that Di Paolo sent this same image to multiple women.
However, Di Paolo denies the charges, claiming that he only practiced homeopathy in Australia.
More than 30 witnesses are expected to give evidence during the hearing at Melbourne Magistrates Court.
The hearing continues this week.
Via Herald Sun.
