Donald Cline

{{Short description|American fertility specialist and fraudster (born 1938)}}

{{Infobox criminal

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|12|10}}|

| birth_place = Indianapolis, Indiana, US

| alma_mater = Indiana University (BS, MD)

| occupation = Reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist

| years_active = 1979–2009

| known_for = Inseminating his own sperm into unwitting patients and fathering at least 94 doctor-conceived children

| conviction = Obstruction of justice (2 counts)

| conviction_penalty = One-year suspended sentence

| conviction_status = Released

| apprehended = September 14, 2016

}}

Donald Lee Cline (born December 10, 1938) is a former American medical doctor of obstetrics and gynecology and convicted felon.{{Cite web |last=Indiana Archives and Records Administration |title=Donald Lee Cline in the Indiana, U.S., Birth Certificates, 1907-1944 |url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60871&h=2041201&tid=&pid=&queryId=d2cd708d014fa01e04a94fe7a4b6757f&usePUB=true&_phsrc=pCG11983&_phstart=successSource |url-access=subscription |website=Ancestry |publisher=Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016}}{{Cite web |last=Wren |first=Adam |date=2019-05-15 |title=Donald Cline: The Fertility Doctor Accused of Fraud : Donald Cline secretly used his own sperm to impregnate fertility patients more than 50 times, but committed no crime with the lewd betrayals. As more and more people learn the former Zionsville doctor is their biological father, outraged victims search for answers, legal and existential. |url=https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/longform/the-immaculate-deception |access-date=2022-04-17 |website=Indianapolis Monthly |language=en-US}} Between 1974{{Clarify|date=August 2024|reason=Does the 1974 date include natural children from his wife? Since he did not start his IVF practice until 1979, 1979 MIGHT be the EARLIEST date when he began to inseminate women without their consent via IVF. How old is the oldest *KNOWN* child that he fathered via IVF? The 1974 date also conflicts with the time he had served in the Air Force, unless he was performing IVF while serving in the Air Force.}} and 1987, Cline sired over 90 children without disclosing himself as the sperm donor to his patients.{{Cite web |last=Miley |first=Scott L. |title=Doctor's victims seek fertility fraud law |url=https://www.heraldbulletin.com/news/state_news/doctors-victims-seek-fertility-fraud-law/article_c739b073-a637-53bd-9d53-25dca0e73f80.html |newspaper=The Herald Bulletin |date=January 19, 2019 |accessdate=July 3, 2022}} As of May 11, 2022, Cline has been confirmed as the biological father of 94 doctor-conceived offspring.{{Cite web |last=Yeates |first=Cydney |date=11 May 2022 |title=Our Father: Who is Dr Donald Cline and where is he now? |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/11/our-father-who-is-dr-donald-cline-and-where-is-he-now-16619778/ |website=Metro |publisher=Associated Newspapers Limited}}

Education and career

Cline received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and his M.D. from Indiana University School of Medicine. After interning at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, he served two years in the Air Force and 12 years as inactive reserve. In 1979, Cline opened his clinic on 2020 West 86th Street in Indianapolis and specialized in reproductive endocrinology & infertility. He practiced there until retiring in 2009. Following his felony conviction in 2018, Cline surrendered his medical license. He is prohibited from reinstatement by the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana.{{Cite web |last=Rudavsky |first=Shari |date=August 23, 2018 |title=Indiana's Medical Licensing Board says Donald Cline may not reapply |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/08/23/indianas-medical-licensing-board-says-donald-cline-may-not-reapply/1073080002/ |website=IndyStar |accessdate=July 4, 2022}}

Fertility fraud

In 2014 when Jacoba Ballard, a daughter of a former patient of Cline, reviewed the results of her at-home DNA test, she discovered a biological connection to eight previously unknown half-siblings.{{efn|Ballard learned at age 10 that she was conceived via donor sperm. She also knew Cline was her mother's fertility doctor.{{Cite AV media |title=Our Father |date=2022 |type=Television production |language=English |people=Jourdan, Lucie (director)}}}} Her genetic genealogy research ultimately revealed Cline, her mother's fertility doctor, as her biological father.{{Cite web |last=Rudavsky |first=Shari |date=August 27, 2017 |title=When you find out your mother's fertility doctor is likely your biological father |url=https://eu.indystar.com/story/news/2017/08/27/when-you-find-out-your-mothers-fertility-doctor-ithe-doctor-helped-women-conceive-but-he-lied-them-h/577701001/ |website=IndyStar}}{{Cite web |last=King |first=Elizabeth |date=September 14, 2016 |title=Fertility Doctor Arrested for Allegedly Using His Own Sperm 'Around 50 Times' to Impregnate Patients |url=https://www.complex.com/life/2016/09/fertility-doctor-arrested-using-own-sperm-50-times-impregnate-patients |access-date=2022-04-17 |website=Complex |language=en}} Cline is now known to have covertly fathered at least 94 offspring.{{Cite web |last=Karpinski |first=Izzy |date=May 18, 2022 |title=Donald Cline paid more than $1.3M in civil suits |url=https://fox59.com/morning-news/angela-answers/dr-donald-cline-pays-1-35m-in-donor-siblings-civil-case-settlements-what-we-uncovered/ |website=Fox59 |accessdate=July 5, 2022}}

=Investigations and litigation=

Ballard filed a complaint with the Attorney General of Indiana who initiated an investigation in 2015.{{Cite web |last=Karpinski |first=Izzy |date=May 11, 2022 |title=Our Father: Angela Ganote talks about her role |url=https://fox59.com/morning-news/our-father-angela-ganote-opens-up-about-the-role-she-played-in-story-of-dr-donald-cline/ |website=Fox59 |accessdate=July 4, 2022}} Then Indiana attorney general Tim DeLaney declined to prosecute because "there was no law forbidding Cline's conduct."{{Cite web |last=DeLaney |first=Tim |date=May 10, 2022 |title=Tim DeLaney on The Prosecution of Dr. Donald Cline - Bose McKinney & Evans |url=https://www.boselaw.com/2022/05/tim-delaney-on-the-prosecution-of-dr-donald-cline/ |website=Bose McKinney & Evans LLP |accessdate=July 4, 2022}} Ballard then pursued media coverage. Fox59 anchor Angela Ganote investigated her story. During her investigation, Ganote learned that Cline had lied to the attorney general's office in their investigation.{{Cite web |last=Horton |first=Adrian |date=2020-12-02 |title=Baby God: how DNA testing uncovered a shocking web of fertility fraud |url=http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/dec/01/baby-god-dna-testing-fertility-fraud-quincy-fortier-nevada |access-date=2022-04-17 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} Documents show that he had told investigators, "I can emphatically say that at no time did I ever use my own sample for insemination nor was I a donor."{{Cite news |last=True Crime Daily |date=November 10, 2016 |title=Elizabeth Smart Confronts Alleged Fertility Fraud Doctor (Part 2) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6RteP6y_pg |access-date=July 6, 2022}}

After a story aired on Fox59, Cline left a voicemail for Ballard contradicting what he had told investigators. "Uh, this is Dr. Cline, You know, I thought I was doing the right thing. I only donated my own sample nine or 10 times," he said. He had placed the call to ask Ballard for help with damage control. "Um, my wife and I, uh, after 57 years of marriage, um, we have had a great deal of problems over this. She considers this adultery. I donated my sample. Gonna lose my wife. Our marriage will be over. Can you help?"

Ganote told DeLaney that Cline was lying to them. Ballard played the audio of the voice mail. The attorney general then conducted an independent DNA test. The results confirmed a 99.9997% probability of paternity. Charges were filed against Cline. In State of Indiana v. Donald Cline, Cline pleaded guilty to two Level 6 felony counts of obstruction of justice and received a one-year suspended sentence.{{Cite news |title=Fertility doctor who lied about using his own sperm avoids jail time |language=en-US |work=www.cbsnews.com |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-cline-fertility-doctor-who-lied-about-using-his-own-sperm-avoids-jail-time/ |access-date=2022-04-17}}

On November 30, 2016, Elizabeth White and son Matthew White filed a proposed complaint for damages and demand for jury trial with the State of Indiana Department of Insurance. The proposed complaint cites negligence, constructive fraud, battery, breach of contract, breach of express warranty, and negligent hiring or retention as to defendant and reproductive endocrinology associates.{{Cite web |title=Elizabeth White, Matthew White v. Donald Cline, M.D. and Indianapolis Infertility, Inc. |url=http://media.ibj.com/Lawyer/websites/opinions/index.php?pdf=2020/july/white.pdf |website=The Indiana Lawyer}} They then filed a multi-count complaint in Marion Superior Court. Cline's motion to dismiss was denied. In an interlocutory appeal, a panel of Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court's decision, finding that "Matthew sufficiently stated breach of contract and tort claims for which relief can be granted."{{Cite web |last=Stancombe |first=Katie |date=July 29, 2020 |title=Ex-fertility doctor who used own sperm must face civil lawsuit, COA affirms |url=https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/ex-fertility-doctor-who-used-own-sperm-must-face-civil-lawsuit-coa-affirms |url-access=limited |website=The Indiana Lawyer}}

As of May 2022, Cline had paid out more than $1.35 million to settle three civil lawsuits filed by donor children and families. Three more are pending.

=List of Cline court cases=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; font-size:.9em"
\| Case ! \| Type ! \| Court ! style="width:12%" \| Date started ! style="width:12%"\| Date ended ! \| Disposition
\| State of Indiana v. Donald L. Cline \| \| Felony 6 \| \| Marion Superior Court 26 \| \| {{date\|9/9/2016\|MDY}} \| \| {{date\|12/14/2017\|MDY}} \| \| Decided; plea guilty, one-year suspended sentence, fine $500; petition for AMS filed and denied{{Cite web \|last=Rudavsky \|first=Shari \|date=December 14, 2017 \|title=Fertility doctor Donald Cline pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice related to claims he inseminated some patients \|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/12/14/fertility-doctor-accused-inseminating-own-patients-court-today/951397001/ \|website=IndyStar \|accessdate=July 5, 2022}}
\| Jacoba Ballard, Deborah Pierce v. Anonymous Health Care Provider, John Doe, M.D. \| \| CT - Civil Tort \| \| Marion Superior Court 3 \| \| {{date\|10/05/2016\|MDY}} \| \| {{date\|01/24/2022\|MDY}} \| \| Decided; dismissed with prejudice
\| Julie Manes, Dianna Kiesler v. Anonymous Health Care Provider d/b/a Anonymous, John Doe \| \| CT - Civil Tort \| \| Marion Superior Court 5 \| \| {{date\|01/13/2017\|MDY}} \| \| {{date\|01/25/2022\|MDY}} \| \| Decided; dismissed, with prejudice
\| Donald L. Cline v. State of Indiana \| \| CR - Direct Appeals (Non Capital, Non-LWOP) \| \| Court of Appeals \| \| {{date\|06/26/2017\|MDY}} \| \| {{date\|02/23/2018\|MDY}} \| \| Closed
\| Elizabeth White, Matthew White v. Anonymous Physician 1, Indianapolis Infertility, Inc. and dba Reproductive Endocrinology Assoc \| \| CT - Civil Tort \| \| Marion Superior Court, Civil Division 4 \| \| {{date\|12/13/2016\|MDY}} \| \| \| \| Pending (active)

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; font-size:.9em"

| Case

! | Type

! | Court

! style="width:12%" | Date started

! style="width:12%"| Date ended

! | Disposition

| State of Indiana v. Donald L. Cline

| | Felony 6

| | Marion Superior Court 26

| | {{date|9/9/2016|MDY}}

| | {{date|12/14/2017|MDY}}

| | Decided; plea guilty, one-year suspended sentence, fine $500; petition for AMS filed and denied{{Cite web |last=Rudavsky |first=Shari |date=December 14, 2017 |title=Fertility doctor Donald Cline pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice related to claims he inseminated some patients |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/12/14/fertility-doctor-accused-inseminating-own-patients-court-today/951397001/ |website=IndyStar |accessdate=July 5, 2022}}

| Jacoba Ballard, Deborah Pierce v. Anonymous Health Care Provider, John Doe, M.D.

| | CT - Civil Tort

| | Marion Superior Court 3

| | {{date|10/05/2016|MDY}}

| | {{date|01/24/2022|MDY}}

| | Decided; dismissed with prejudice

| Julie Manes, Dianna Kiesler v. Anonymous Health Care Provider d/b/a Anonymous, John Doe

| | CT - Civil Tort

| | Marion Superior Court 5

| | {{date|01/13/2017|MDY}}

| | {{date|01/25/2022|MDY}}

| | Decided; dismissed, with prejudice

| Donald L. Cline v. State of Indiana

| | CR - Direct Appeals (Non Capital, Non-LWOP)

| | Court of Appeals

| | {{date|06/26/2017|MDY}}

| | {{date|02/23/2018|MDY}}

| | Closed

| Elizabeth White, Matthew White v. Anonymous Physician 1, Indianapolis Infertility, Inc. and dba Reproductive Endocrinology Assoc

| | CT - Civil Tort

| | Marion Superior Court, Civil Division 4

| | {{date|12/13/2016|MDY}}

| |

| | Pending (active)

=Legislation=

The Cline fertility fraud and similar doctor-donated sperm cases exposed a lack of legislation specific to infertility patients' and their children's rights.{{efn|More than 50 U.S. fertility doctors are accused of fraud related to sperm donation.{{Cite web |last=Pfeffer Billauer |first=Barbara |date=April 11, 2022 |title=Fertility Fraud: A Fertility Industry Danger |url=https://www.acsh.org/news/2022/04/11/fertility-fraud-fertility-industry-danger-16239 |website=American Council on Science and Health |accessdate=July 5, 2022}}}}{{Cite web |last=Eunjung |first=Ariana |date=November 23, 2018 |title=A press for justice on reproductive fraud |url=https://www.heraldnews.com/story/news/2018/11/23/a-press-for-justice-on/8306453007/ |publisher=www.heraldnews.com |newspaper=The Washington Post |accessdate=July 5, 2022}} Ballard lobbied the state of Indiana for change.{{Cite news |year=2022 |title=6 questions for woman who brought down fertility doctor |work=WRTV |url=https://www.wrtv.com/entertainment/6-questions-with-star-of-documentary-on-fertility-doc-who-inseminated-patients-with-his-sperm |access-date=12 July 2022 |vauthors=((Ryckaert, Vic))}} On May 17, 2019, Indiana became the first state to designate fertility fraud as a Level 6 felony.{{Cite web |last=Odendahl |first=Marilyn |date=June 25, 2019 |title=Zipping into statutes: Overview of new laws for 2019 |url=https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/50673-zipping-into-statutes-overview-of-new-laws-for-2019 |website=The Indiana Lawyer |accessdate=July 5, 2022}} S.E.A. 174, P.L. 215 became effective July 1, 2019. It reads:

Establishes a cause of action for civil fertility fraud and provides that a prevailing plaintiff may be awarded: (1) compensatory and punitive damages; or (2) liquidated damages of $10,000. Specifies the statute of limitations for civil fertility fraud. Increases the penalty for deception involving the identity of a person or the identity or quantity of property to a Level 6 felony if the offense involves a misrepresentation relating to: (1) a medical procedure, device, or drug; and (2) human reproductive material. Urges the legislative council to assign the topic of fertility laws, including gestational surrogacy, to an appropriate study committee.{{Cite web |date=May 17, 2019 |title=Legislative Update : Fertility fraud and deception |url=https://legislativeupdate.courts.in.gov/2019/05/17/fertility-fraud-and-deception-2/}}

States which have enacted legislation: Arizona, Arkansas, California,{{Cite web |last=MacBride |first=Katie |date=January 6, 2021 |title=Fertility Doctors Used Their Sperm to Get Patients Pregnant. The Children Want Justice |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/fertility-doctors-used-their-sperm-to-get-patients-pregnant-the-children-want-justice/ |website=Vice |access-date=July 5, 2022}}, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa,{{Cite news |date=July 5, 2022 |title=Fertility fraud: Iowa law criminalizes reproductive material deceit |work=Des Moines Register |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/columnists/courtney-crowder/2022/07/05/iowa-fertility-law-criminalizes-reproductive-material-fraud-lying-doctors-donors/7752128001/ |url-access=subscription}} Texas, Utah

States proposing legislation: Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Ohio,{{Cite web |last=Trachman |first=Ellen |date=February 12, 2020 |title=The U.S. Is Experiencing An Explosion Of Fertility Fraud Legislation. And That's A Good Thing. |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2020/02/the-u-s-is-experiencing-an-explosion-of-fertility-fraud-legislation-and-thats-a-good-thing/ |website=Above the Law |accessdate=July 5, 2022}} Kentucky, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington

There is no Federal legislation specifically applicable to fertility fraud.

Effect on Cline's patients and their children

===Genetic health concerns===

There is a high presence of auto-immune disorders among Cline's donor-fathered children. Cline's own auto-immune condition, rheumatoid arthritis, would have excluded him as an eligible sperm donor at his own clinic.{{Cite web |last=Mangan |first=Lucy |date=11 May 2022 |title=Our Father review – an undeniably gripping tale of a fertility doctor's shocking crimes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/may/11/our-father-review-an-undeniably-gripping-tale-of-a-fertility-doctors-shocking-crimes |website=TheGuardian.com}}

Many of the donor-children live within a {{convert|25|mi|adj=on}} radius of each other. Their concern with consanguinity and its potential genetic disorders increases as their own children grow up and develop intimate relationships.{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Lydia |date=April 15, 2022 |title=Everything You Need to Know About 'Our Father' : Inside the sinister true story of Donald Cline. |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/our-father-true-story-don-cline-details |access-date=2022-04-17 |website=Netflix Tudum |language=en}}{{Cite podcast |url=https://sickpodcast.org/season1/rightinhisowneyes |title=Episode 7: Right In His Own Eyes |website=Sick |host=Lauren Bavis |host2=Jake Harper |access-date=July 6, 2022 |archive-date=July 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705191430/https://sickpodcast.org/season1/rightinhisowneyes |url-status=dead }} In an extended profile piece in The Atlantic, reporter Sarah Zhang wrote:

The donor children have begun cataloging the ways their own paths have crossed, too. White went to Purdue at the same time as one of his half brothers. One sibling sold another a wagon at a garage sale. Two of them lived on the same street. Two had kids on the same softball team. They're worried that their children are getting old enough to date soon. 'Did you not consider we all live in a relatively close area?' one sister said she has wondered about Cline. 'Did you really think … that we wouldn't meet? That we wouldn't maybe date? That we wouldn't have kids who might date? Did you never consider that?' Cline now looms over their kids' every innocent crush, their every prom date.{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Sarah |date=March 18, 2019 |title=The Fertility Doctor's Secret : Donald Cline must have thought no one would ever know. Then DNA testing came along. |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/04/fertility-doctor-donald-cline-secret-children/583249/ |access-date=April 17, 2022 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}

=Impact statements=

:Todd Foster, donor child: "It was like this gut punch. Someone just cut the tether to who I am. Because we're all taught our identity resides in our blood, right? That's why I took the damn DNA test. But yeah, this complete feeling like my whole identity, is that gone? Am I no longer a Foster? I literally had to just rest my hand and kind of sit there for a minute. Just like, whoa. The weight of it. I woke up the next morning and, again, excuse my language but just kind of like, what the fuck?! This cannot be real. This is … what? And I think it was that way for a couple of weeks."

:Julie Manes, donor child: "It's devastating. It's changed my entire life. I've cried every day for the past two months. It's devastating to say the least. I believed for 34 years that my dad was my father. And he still is, but knowing that Cline did this is...horrible."{{Cite web |last=Jefferson |first=Steve |date=November 21, 2016 |title=Biological children of fertility doctor and their mothers bond to fight |url=https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/tonight-at-11pm-families-open-up-about-fertility-doctor-controversy/531-6b51d296-23a4-4713-837b-f0cd4c60bf91 |website=WTHR |accessdate=July 5, 2022}}

:Elizabeth White, mother: "My first words were, 'I was raped 15 times, and I didn't even know it.'"{{Citation |title='Our Father': Avoiding and encountering the pitfalls of true-crime documentaries |url=https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2022/06/our-father-documentary-audrey-wang |access-date=12 July 2022 |vauthors=((Wang, Audrey))}}

In media

Donald Cline's fertility fraud is the subject of a Netflix documentary titled Our Father which premiered in May 2022.{{Cite web |last=Felbin |first=Sarah |date=2022-04-14 |title=Watch The Exclusive Trailer For 'Our Father,' Netflix's Latest True Crime Doc |url=https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a39703654/our-father-donald-cline-netflix-trailer/ |access-date=2022-04-17 |website=Women's Health |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Cline has four children with his wife, Audrey, in addition to the 94 other children conceived by artificially inseminating women with his own sperm without their knowledge or consent.