'Sugar Daddy' doc faces sex charges

A retired Manayunk doctor whom neighborhood teens called "Sugar Daddy" is facing charges that he raped a 16-year-old girl, and allegations that he threw wild parties for teenagers, complete with drugs and alcohol.

Tawfik Nakishbendi, 61, who was arrested Thursday outside his home on Lemonte Street near Mansion, remained behind bars yesterday. He is charged with rape, aggravated assaulted, sexual abuse and related offenses.

On April 9, police received an anonymous complaint that an adult male may have been providing substances to teens and engaging in sex with them, said Lt. Frank Vanore, police spokesman.

Through a joint investigation by the City-Wide Vice and Special Investigation units, police located the alleged 16-year-old victim, who led them to Nakishbendi, Vanore said.

Police said that more sexual assault charges may be filed against Nakishbendi and that they have good leads on other potential victims.

Denise Durkin of Roxborough said her 16-year-old daughter was one of the teens who attended parties at Nakishbendi's house.

She said that her daughter's friend's aunt was once married to Nakishbendi and that the parties started after his wife committed suicide, and after he retired from his career as a gynecologist.

Durkin said that her daughter had told her that up to 25 teen- age boys and girls were at Nakishbendi's house during some of the parties and that he would give them liquor, beer, prescription drugs and marijuana.

During the day, she said Nakishbendi would take the teen girls out and buy them jewelry, clothes and food.

"That's why they called him Sugar Daddy. Anything they wanted he'd get for them," she alleged. "But they didn't realize he wanted something in return."

Durkin said it was only after Nakishbendi asked her daughter for nude photos of herself that she realized she was in trouble.

Durkin, who had no idea her daughter was going to Nakishbendi's house, said the teen came to her in January and told her everything after Nakishbendi had asked for the photos. She never went to his house or that street again, Durkin said. "It's just sick," she said. "Grown women sometimes can't protect themselves in situations like that, and for a child to be put in that situation is that much harder."

Nakishbendi is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 10.