Two plastic surgeons have been suspended and fined after Ehud Arye Laniado, a billionaire diamond trader, died during a penis enlargement procedure at a private clinic in Paris.
Laniado, 65, the Belgian-Israeli founder of Omega Diamonds, suffered a fatal heart attack while receiving injections to his penis at the Saint-Honoré-Ponthieu clinic on 2 March 2019, according to French newspaper Le Parisien.
Charges downgraded after investigation
The main surgeon, identified in court only as “Guy H.”, was initially investigated for manslaughter. Prosecutors later reduced the charges to failure to assist a person in danger, drug-related offences, and practising medicine without a licence.
Investigators found that Laniado had been taking banned substances in France, as well as vasodilators commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction, in the period leading up to his death.
Timeline of the final hours
Emergency services were first called to the clinic at around 8pm, reportedly at Laniado’s insistence. He complained of abdominal pain but chose to continue with the cosmetic procedure.
Two hours later, paramedics were called back after Laniado suffered a cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
A judicial source said the injection itself was quickly ruled out as the direct cause of death.
Cause of death confirmed
An autopsy revealed that Laniado died from cardiac hypertrophy, a condition involving an enlarged heart. Authorities believe the banned substances and erectile-dysfunction chemicals found in his hotel room contributed to the fatal heart event.
Unlicensed assistant surgeon exposed
The investigation also uncovered serious regulatory violations at the clinic. The assistant surgeon present during the operation had never been registered with the French Medical Association, despite working in France for more than two decades.
Her medical qualifications, obtained in Algeria, were not recognised by French authorities.
Suspensions and fines imposed
Guy H. received a 15-month suspension, while his assistant, who was standing in for him at the time, was suspended for 12 months.
The court also imposed heavy fines:
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€50,000 (about R1 million) for Guy H.
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€20,000 (about R400,000) for the assistant surgeon
Both doctors are reportedly in their 70s.
Legal response
Guy H.’s lawyer described the ruling as “sober, clear and calming,” arguing that the death was accidental and that efforts to assign blame were misguided.
“There was something futile and sad about trying to find someone responsible at all costs, following a purely accidental death,” the lawyer said.
A case that shook cosmetic medicine
The death of one of the world’s most prominent diamond dealers sent shockwaves through both the luxury business world and the cosmetic surgery industry, raising renewed questions about patient safety, regulation, and unapproved medical practices in high-end private clinics.
