Florida State Attorney Begins Investigation Of `Sex Doctor'

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - The state attorney's office has begun a criminal investigation of therapist Frederick Shotz, the ``doctor of sex'' who didn't earn a doctorate from the university he lists on his resume.

Shotz, a local sex therapist who prescribes surrogate partners for his dysfunctional patients, counseled children and played a key role in several custody battles in 1988 and 1989.

Assistant State Attorney Monica Hofheinz confirmed last week she is reviewing a complaint about Shotz, but she declined to comment further.

The complaint was filed by several women who say they lost custody of their children because of ``damaging'' testimony by Shotz that persuaded judges to rule against them. In each case, he was appointed by a judge to counsel and analyze children or parents in custody cases.

Shotz did not respond to requests for an interview for this story.

The revelations in that article were met with surprise and fury by some of Shotz's former patients and current business associates.

A Fort Lauderdale videotape company has stopped shipping Shotz's sexually graphic sex-education videotapes all over the country.

The ``Donahue'' show never aired its program starring Shotz on Nov. 28, as scheduled. The show - featuring ``Frederick Shotz, Ph.D.'' and his instructional sex videos - was taped in Manhattan in early November.

The four women who complained about Shotz to the state attorney's office were interviewed recently by prosecutors. They said the questions revolved around Shotz's role in child-custody cases and his portrayal of his educational credentials.

The women had dealings with Shotz because the sex therapist was on a referral list given to judges by the Broward County guardian ad litem office. The office is charged with representing the interests of children in legal proceedings.

Laurie Beth Major of Plantation, Fla., is seeking to use Shotz's alleged misrepresentation of his educational background to regain custody of her 7-year-old daughter, Morgan.

On May 20, 1988, Broward Circuit Judge Richard Eade awarded custody of Morgan to Major's former husband, Eric Tessler.

Eade relied on Shotz's testimony against Major in the case, said her lawyer, William Gardiner. In a final judgment, Eade wrote: ``Drs. Fred and Linda Shotz were both found to be credible by the court. Dr. Fred Shotz testified that the minor child would be in jeopardy if she continued to reside with the mother.'' Linda Shotz is Fred Shotz's wife and colleague.

In a petition filed Dec. 13, Major asked for Eade's custody decision to be overturned because ``a fraud has been worked upon the court.''

``The testimony of `Dr.' Fred Shotz should not have been relied upon by the court in any respect,'' Gardiner wrote in the petition.

After several complaints about his background, Shotz voluntarily withdrew last year from the guardian ad litem program. Lorna Spivak, a guardian ad litem attorney, said the office did not check Shotz's credentials.