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Doctor Accused In UCI Fertility Scandal Released From Mexican Jail

SANTA ANA (AP) — A Mexican judge released a fugitive doctor at the heart of a scandal involving the theft of human eggs at a Southern California fertility center after determining the crimes he is accused of are not serious enough to merit denying bail.

An employee of the Mexican attorney general's office says Wednesday that the judge allowed Dr. Ricardo Asch to be freed on one million pesos in bail, or about $83,000. The employee spoke on condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Asch, who is wanted on mail fraud and income-tax evasion charges related to the scandal, was arrested in Mexico last year.

U.S. prosecutors plan to continue seeking his extradition.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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