Chicago plastic surgeon Ayoub Sayeg is still allowed to operate, even after a Cook County jury hit him with a massive verdict in the death of one patient and reporters tied his work to seven other fatalities. The situation has patient safety advocates asking a blunt question: what exactly does it take to get a doctor sidelined in Illinois?
The verdict and the victim
In December 2024, a Cook County jury returned a $56 million verdict for the family of Idalia Corcoles, who attorneys say bled to death after liposuction and an abdominoplasty at a southwest-side clinic. Clifford Law Offices said post-judgment interest pushed the total judgment to about $66 million.
As detailed by CBS Chicago, testimony at trial included accusations that Sayeg failed to check on Corcoles after her procedure, even as she experienced internal bleeding.
Regulators’ response
Despite the verdict and what the Chicago Tribune reported as links between Sayeg’s practice and eight patient deaths, Illinois regulators have not suspended or revoked his medical license. State records still list him as an actively practicing physician.
The Tribune reported that investigations into Sayeg have stretched over several years, with the state first probing his care after an earlier patient death more than five years ago. In other words, the system has been looking at him for a long time, yet he remains in business.
Families press for action
Lawyers for the Corcoles family, along with other victims’ advocates, say the verdict shines a harsh light on gaps in oversight and are urging state officials to move with more urgency. Coverage by FOX 32 quoted family attorneys who labeled the care “abandonment” and argued that a civil verdict of this size should prompt a far tighter regulatory review…