East Bay woman sues OBGYN for 'medical rape,' believes her family is the victim of fertility fraud

Kate Larsen Image
ByKate Larsen KGO logo
Friday, September 18, 2020
East Bay woman sues OBGYN for 'medical rape'
The Livermore woman thought she was artificially inseminated with the help of an anonymous sperm donor. In reality, she and her family may be victims of fertility fraud.

LIVERMORE, Calif. (KGO) -- It was a shocking discovery for a mother in the East Bay -- the Livermore woman thought she was artificially inseminated with the help of an anonymous sperm donor. In reality, she and her family may be victims of fertility fraud.

Forty years later, the family found out they are forever biologically linked to a doctor they believe is a fraud and predator.

RELATED: Glendale couple says embryo was mistakenly implanted in another woman

"Now sometimes I look in the mirror and I don't even recognize myself. Sometimes I see him," said Julie Druyor, who now lives in Dallas, but grew up in Livermore.

By "him," Druyor means her mother's former OBGYN, Dr. Michael Kiken, whose photo appears in a 2011 Facebook post.

At 40 years old, Julie Druyor discovered that Kiken is likely her biological father.

"No one should have to find out that they're the product of a predator," she said.

"This all dates back to when my husband and I were newlyweds and trying to conceive a child," said Katherine Richards, who is Druyor's mother and still lives in Livermore.

RELATED: NJ couple sues fertility clinic, saying wrong sperm used to conceive child

Richards sought fertility treatment at Kiken's Alamo, California practice starting in 1978. On Wednesday, she filed a lawsuit against Kiken, alleging battery and fraud. The complaint says "Kiken inserted his own sperm into" Richards, "without her consent and against her wishes." The suit characterizes the act as "medical rape".

"Dr. Kiken lied to us, he violated our trust, he crushed our faith and he did the unthinkable to me," said Richards during an emotional virtual press conference.

Last year, Druyor received a 23andMe ancestry DNA test kit as a gift. The results were unexpected.

"To come back that I was 50% Jewish and that I had a half-brother that I never knew about, made me start to question things. I got connected with a genealogist," who Druoyor explained, "was able to make the connection to Michael Kiken."

RELATED: Mom falls in love with sperm donor 12 years after giving birth to his child

"When we got those results for my daughter, we tested my son and found he shared the same biological father, as much as I hate calling him that," said Richards.

"Dr. Kiken needs to answer for what he did to Katie and to others," said Richard's Attorney, Adam Wolf.

Wolf says a boy in the Richard's East Bay neighborhood was also the result of Kiken's deceitful insemination. "We are aware of three children who are the product of Dr. Kiken's violations. We don't know if there are any others. It's certainly something that we will find out through our lawsuit."

Kiken moved to Virginia, where he is still licensed to practice medicine. ABC7 called his former employer and a receptionist said that Kiken has not worked at the facility in more than 10 years.

ABC7 also reached out to Kiken for comment. As of this writing, ABC7 has not received a response.

Kiken's attorney, John Simonson, told ABC7 Thursday that he had "no comment" and that he "doesn't speak to reporters."

Wolf says their first hearing is on December 8.

Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.