Allentown chiropractor faces sexual harassment suit

Published: 2011-03-10 17:43:01
Author: Peter Hall | THE MORNING CALL | March 10, 2011

An Allentown chiropractor who was charged with tax evasion Wednesday also faces a sexual harassment suit by two former employees who claim he groped them, made sexually suggestive comments and retaliated after they complained.

Paul Basile, 54, of Orefield is a defendant in the lawsuit by Christine Gensey, a former office administrator, and Rosangela Doyle, a chiropractic assistant. Gensey and Doyle worked at Valley Wellness and Chiropractic, a Hamilton Street clinic Paul Basile co-owns with his wife Barbara Basile, the suit says .

Paul Basile and Barbara Basile, 53, were indicted Wednesday on six counts, including conspiracy to defraud the government, tax evasion and filing false tax returns. Paul Basile faces two additional counts of tax evasion and Barbara Basile is also charged with two counts of willful failure to file tax returns. She is not a defendant in the sexual harassment case.

The sexual harassment lawsuit filed Nov. 18 in U.S. District Court in Allentown alleges Paul Basile made inappropriate comments and touched and groped the two female employees. The conduct continued despite the women's complaints, the suit says.

On Feb. 24, U.S. District Judge Petrese B. Tucker denied a motion by Paul Basile's attorney, John P. Karoly III, to dismiss the suit on grounds that the federal courts don't have authority to hear the case.

According to the lawsuit, Paul Basile touched Gensey and asked her to wear more revealing clothing. On one occasion, he gave Gensey a pair of handcuffs, told her to give them to her 7-year-old daughter and said, "If she is anything like her mother, she will find use for them," the suit says.

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