In secret testimony, Caruso was grilled about what USC knew about disgraced gynecologist Dr. Larry Silverstein’s efforts to hide evidence of his child porn ring from federal authorities.
According to the court filing, Silverstein agreed to cooperate with investigators by handing over videotapes, but instead he used the tapes to frame them.
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In the deposition the attorney’s office released on September 12, Caruso said that Silverstein had told him that Dr. David Lewis, an associate at the practice USC had hired to help run the pornography ring, had taken out restraining orders against Lewis and threatened him with legal action.
The restraining order, he said, meant that Lewis would be unable to testify against Silverstein.
According to Caruso, Silverstein also said that he didn’t “see any reason” why former patients who had contacted USC after his arrest should worry about a possible conflict of interest.
“He said there’s no actual conflict of interest,” Caruso said.
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Caruso’s testimony revealed that USC violated the trust that Silverstein placed in the practice, which is responsible for providing free care to thousands of its students and residents, when it paid a $25,000 settlement to a former patient who accused Silverstein of sexual abuse.
In a settlement with USC announced Wednesday, the patient said that after she was raped by Silverstein in 1991, she went to USC hoping to learn about sexual abuse she had suffered earlier in her life.
Silverstein had a reputation for treating his patients with gentle care and compassion. But after the patient came forward with her story, Silverstein was convicted of child pornography charges in 2010. Silverstein was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
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During the deposition, Caruso said he was concerned that USC would get to look like an “overzealous prosecutor.” He said that in February of 2012, he had called USC and asked what it knew about Silverstein’s actions.
“I told them I