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Photo: New York-Presbyterian Hospital Allen in Manhattan; via Wikipedia.
A former New York-Presbyterian Queens doctor has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing multiple women, three of whom were sedated patients under his care, ABC News reported.
Zhi Alan Cheng, 35, also confessed to raping additional women who were unconscious at his home. Cheng was arrested in 2022 after a female acquaintance found video footage of him abusing her while she was unconscious. A law enforcement search of Cheng’s home uncovered liquid anesthesia and numerous recordings of him sexually assaulting women both at his residence and within hospital settings.
In total, Cheng admitted to abusing seven women, including patients he treated at New York-Presbyterian Queens hospital. Prosecutors say most victims were sedated and had no memory of the abuse. In one case, a woman undergoing a gastrointestinal procedure awoke during the assault. Cheng also entered an Alford plea regarding the alleged abuse of an eighth woman, meaning he did not admit guilt but acknowledged sufficient evidence for conviction.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz called the case a devastating betrayal of the doctor’s oath. “The level of violence and perversion displayed by Zhi Alan Cheng in sexually abusing multiple victims is compounded by the fact that he took an oath to do no harm as a medical professional,” she said. “I thank the brave victim who initially came forward and exposed this abuse.” Cheng remains incarcerated and faces up to 24 years in prison at sentencing.
New York-Presbyterian stated it had cooperated fully with investigators and expressed remorse. “As caregivers, we are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of our patients. It is a sacred trust,” said hospital spokesperson Angela Karafazli. “The crimes committed by this individual are heinous, despicable, and a fundamental betrayal of our mission and the patients’ trust.”
This case is the second recent high-profile abuse scandal involving New York-Presbyterian. The hospital and Columbia University were previously at the center of one of the largest medical sexual abuse settlements in U.S. history involving former OB-GYN Robert Hadden. That case resulted in more than $1 billion in combined payouts to hundreds of patients who were abused during medical visits.
If you or someone you love was abused in a medical setting, and you want to learn more about what it takes to hold hospitals and institutions accountable, visit our institutional sexual abuse guide. You can also see if your case qualifies for legal action by filling out the brief, confidential form below.
