HOUSTON — A Texas doctor could face up to 10 years in state prison after allegedly leaking private health care documents.
On Monday, 34-year-old Ethan Haim was indicted on four counts after accessing children's medical records without authorization.
According to the Southern District of Texas United State's Attorney's Office, Haim reportedly gathered patient names, treatment details and physician names from the Texas Children's Hospital back in 2023.
He then proceeded to share this information with conservative political activist Chris Rufo, who published a piece detailing the claims in the online magazine City Journal.
"I have obtained exclusive whistleblower documents showing that, despite its public statements, the Houston-based children's hospital --the largest in the United States-- has secretly continued to perform transgender medical interventions, including the use of implantable puberty blockers, on minor children," Rufo wrote.
Now, Haim could face a fine of up to $250,000 for sharing these records he gathered without authorization.
This investigation comes amid continuous discussions on Senate Bill 14, which prohibits doctors from knowingly providing certain gender-affirming treatments to children. The law, passed in 2022, bans transition surgeries, puberty blockers and more.
Earlier this year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton attempted to require LGBTQ+ advocate group PFLAG to share details on such treatments with his office. In March, the AG's efforts were blocked by a state judge.
In the Texas capital, a "Transgender Protection Resolution" was passed last month to stop the city of Austin from using funds to investigate those looking to receive health care.