Fake Doctor in Cincinnati Has Been Convicted For Luring Men to His Apartment for Genital Exams

WLWT 5 – The verdict was filed Tuesday, weeks after a two-day bench trial wrapped up in Hamilton County, where prosecutors alleged that Dr. Rudel Saunders performed ultrasounds "outside the scope of the practice."

In April, a municipal court judge found Saunders not guilty of misdemeanor charges associated with this case, including voyeurism and sexual imposition.

On Tuesday, Judge Patrick Dinkelacker filed his decision on the other charges, finding Saunders guilty on two low-level felony charges for practicing medicine without a license.

A sentencing date has not been set yet.

Investigators say Saunders lured several men to the bedroom of his Cincinnati apartment and performed ultrasounds on their private parts while allegedly secretly videotaping most of the encounters.

Saunders previously told a state medical board his actions were for educational purposes.

Prosecutors say Saunders did not have clinical privileges to practice on his own, unsupervised.

I'm not sure if this story more of an indictment on this doctor being a creep, our country's healthcare system, or the general competency of men in southern Ohio. I understand visiting a doctor at his home to get around paying a ridiculous medical bill, but it's hard to read that story and not wonder how so many people marched right through all of those glaring red flags. 

Flag #1: The doctor was practicing out of his bedroom

Flag #2: The exam was free. 

Flag #3: He had a camera pointed at your penis

I'm not exactly sure what this fake doctor's legal strategy was, but if I were Rude Saunders' lawyer, I'd have subpoenaed every "patient" who agreed to this in-home genitals exam, just on the off-chance a parade of Joey Camasta's come to the stand. 

Because if that's the case, I might be able to get him off (legally speaking) on the, "I mean… judge… like… come on…" defense.

On the other hand, what if Dr. Mr. Saunders is just a poor guy who couldn't cut it as a doctor, but still felt it was his life's mission to catch testicular cancer in men before it's too late. Just because he faints at the sight of blood doesn't mean he can't identify a concerning lump. Maybe he was legitimately up all night reviewing his tapes, looking for things he might have missed, evaluating his literal bedside manner, etc. All he wanted to do was provide the men of Cincinnati a free & safe place to get checked for cancer. Specifically, cancer of the balls. God just happened to bless Rudel Saunders with a passion for genital health. Like a Sikh man who dreamt of becoming a crop duster in 2002, that's a tough passion to be dealt in life.

I wonder what eventually tipped off his patients? Probably the video camera on a tripod in the corner of his room. Or maybe his whole operation was a wink-wink, hush-hush, "If I'm checking you for cancer, it's not gay" agreement with his closeted customers. Then inevitably, someone's wife found out her husband was going to Rudel's house every Friday night to have his balls filmed. But instead of coming clean to his wife, the husband stuck to his guns and insisted that he was just very conscious about his health. Then when his wife Googles "Rudel Saunders" and learns that he isn't actually a doctor, her husband is all like, "Oh my goodness! That's unbelievable! I've been fooled! We have to report him to the medical board immediately!" 

Then a few more definitely not gay patients testify against him, and poor Mr. Saunders is charged with multiple felonies. All because some dads in Hamilton County who didn't want to come to terms with their sexuality are committed to going down with the ship.