A 65-year-old cosmetic dentist from Scranton, Pennsylvania who is a friend and golfing partner for Donald Trump, was charged with indecent assault for groping a female patient after a dental appointment in his office, the Washington Post reports.
Albert Hazzouri Jr. was previously known for sending a note to Trump proposing an oversight committee on dental spending in by the government, which he would’ve presumably led. The note was written on stationery from Mar-a-Lago and the salutation line read, “Dear King.”
Trump once called Hazzouri during a 2016 campaign rally in Scranton. “Stand up, Albert. Where the hell are you, Albert? Stand up, Albert. He’s a good golfer, but I’m actually a better golfer than him. Right?” Trump said.
In an affidavit, a Scranton Police detective alleged that Hazzouri volunteered to escort a female patient to her car. When they were in a stairway, Hazzouri attempted to get a female to climb on his back for a “piggy-back” ride; the female declined. Hazzouri then groped the woman, grabbing her buttocks, breasts and groin, when they reached the bottom of the stairs.
The victim went to the police where the detective had her call Hazzouri on a recorded line. Hazzouri admitted to the act on the call. “He stated it was a mistake and [he] didn’t realize he did it until after it was over,” the detective wrote in the affidavit. “He apologized and offered her free dental needs as long as she lives.”
The three misdemeanor charges against Hazzouri each carry a penalty of up to two years in prison, or up to a $5,000 fine. He was released on $75,000 bail, according to court records, and his next hearing is July 20.