Former head of CDC pleads guilty to reduced charge in groping case

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Thomas Frieden pleaded guilty on Tuesday after he was accused of groping a woman in his New York apartment.

According to the Brooklyn District Attorney, Frieden pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct and will not serve any jail time. He was ordered to avoid contact with the woman, who was a longtime family friend, for a year.

{mosads}Frieden was initially arrested in August 2018 and charged with misdemeanor forcible touching, third-degree sexual abuse and second degree harassment after he police said he inappropriately touched the woman in October 2017.

Frieden was the CDC director from 2009 to 2017, leading the agency during the Ebola epidemic. Prior to that, he served as New York City health commissioner.

Frieden is currently president and CEO of the global health nonprofit Resolve to Save Lives. The organization did not respond to a request for comment.

According to prosecutors, Frieden’s case is subject to a conditional discharge, meaning it will be dismissed and sealed in a year so long as he does not get arrested during that time frame.