Former CDC head arrested on sex abuse, harassment allegations

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

published 24 August 2018

Tom Frieden, a top health official in the Obama administration, was arrested Friday for alleged forcible touching, sex abuse, and harassment, CNBC reports.

Allegations against Frieden, a former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were levied by at least one woman, including an incident that reportedly occurred in October 2017, New York's PIX11 says. The incident, which allegedly happened in Frieden's Brooklyn home, was reported in July. Frieden surrendered to Brooklyn police Friday, ABC affiliate WABC reports, and he is expected in court this afternoon.

Frieden was appointed to lead the CDC by former President Barack Obama, taking office in May 2009. He served throughout the entire Obama presidency and resigned when President Trump took office. During his tenure, Frieden led the U.S. through the global Ebola outbreak of 2014. He also previously served as New York City's health commissioner and now serves as CEO of international health nonprofit Resolve to Save Lives.

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.

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