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Devout Muslim Sues Duane Reade For $40 Million Over Nipple-Pinching Breast Exam
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 20, 2013
Modified Jun 20, 2013
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 20, 2013
Modified Jun 20, 2013
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A fashion magazine editor and devout Muslim is suing Duane Reade for $40 million, claiming that a former Manhattan pharmacist sexually assaulted her during a bogus breast examination. Hayat Ammouri, 42, claims in her suit that pharmacist Monesh Hanoman tricked her into the breast exam during a free blood-pressure test at a Lexington Avenue Duane Read— and then proceeded to grope her and pinch her nipples.
The lawsuit states: "She agreed, reasonably thinking that this is a type of examination that could be offered by...a health-care professional wearing a white Duane Reade-issue robe...the distinctive dress of physicians." It's rare to come across someone with such respect for the distinctive white Duane Reade-issue robe, but Ammouri was visiting from Lebanon on April 22nd when the incident occurred. "Hanoman then sadistically and perversely rubbed Ms. Ammouri's breasts and shockingly pinched her nipples for approximately four minutes," court papers allege.
Ammouri told her cousin the next day about the odd “exam.” The cousin immediately called police; they were told by Duane Reade that Hanoman had been fired. “Upon learning of this incident, we conducted a prompt investigation and the individual involved is no longer employed by Duane Reade,” said spokesman Calvin Peters. “We truly regret that this occurred.”
Despite this, Hanoman's father told the News that he thought his 26-year-old son was still working there. “My son would never do something like this,” Lachman Hanoman told them. And thus, the ongoing debate of doctor vs pharmacist may have been settled:
Tagged
breast exam
duane reade
Hayat Ammouri
lawsuit
Monesh Hanoman
pharmacist
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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