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SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

Friday, April 26, 2024

Foreign exchange student suffered sexual abuse from host parent, suit alleges

Lawsuits
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HOUSTON — A Spain foreign exchange student who resided in Harris County when he was 15 and 16-years old, is suing his former host parent who was charged with sexually abusing him. 

R.A.M. filed a complaint April 5 in Harris County District Court against Hayim Nissim Cohen alleging sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. 

R.A.M., is a 17-year old male who applied with Estudiar en USA for placement in the U.S. as a foreign exchange student. He alleges that after being placed in Cohen's home, who was serving as a host parent, he suffered sexual abuse and assault by Cohen and that Cohen engaged in "sexually explicit conduct" with him including forcing him to get into Cohen's bed.  R.A.M. further alleges that from September 2018 through April 2019, when he was 15 and 16-years old, he was forced to touch Cohen's genitals. 

According to the complaint, R.A.M. eventually reported the behavior to the principal of his school who then contacted law enforcement which resulted in Cohen being charged with felony indecency. 

R.A.M. seeks monetary relief of more than $1 million, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Sherry Scott Chandler and Lewis Chandler of The Chandler Law Firm LLP in Houston. 

Harris County District Court case number 2021-19727

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