A new lawsuit against New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center alleges the system covered up years of abuse by urologist Darius Paduch, MD, Fox News reported Sept. 29.
A four-count indictment charged Dr. Paduch with inducement of a person to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and inducement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. The indictment, unsealed April 11 in Manhattan federal court, alleges that Dr. Paduch sexually abused multiple male patients, including minor male patients, while conducting purported urological exams while employed by two "prestigious" and "prominent" medical institutions in New York City, which were not named in the news release issued by the Justice Department. The abuse alleged in the indictment occurred from 2015 through 2019.
The lawsuit filed Sept. 28 names Dr. Paduch, NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Columbia University and others. The suit represents 58 male victims who were allegedly abused between 2003 and 2022.
The suit alleges that defendants "knew, early on, exactly what [Paduch] was doing to their patients" but did not take action. Weill Cornell's ethics board reportedly received direct complaints from victims but attempted to "buy the victims' silence," the lawsuit said.
A Weill Cornell Medicine spokesperson told Becker's, "Weill Cornell Medicine values the care and safety of our patients above all else. The conduct described in these suits is extremely disturbing, and we feel deeply for all those involved. No patient who entrusts us with their care should ever experience such appalling behavior. We continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and are committed to maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards."