Zhi Alan Cheng, MD, has been charged with sexually abusing three patients at New York-Presbyterian Queens hospital and raping three other patients in his home.
Dr. Cheng, a gastroenterologist, is accused of drugging the women he allegedly raped in his apartment and filming the assaults, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
He is also charged with filming his alleged sexual abuse of the hospital patients, who appeared to be unconscious in videos recovered from the defendant. In addition to victims who have been identified, videos seized from Dr. Cheng allegedly show him sexually assaulting six other women, including one at New York-Presbyterian Queens.
After he was arrested on Dec, 27, Dr. Cheng was also charged multiple counts of rape, assault and sexual abuse, among other charges. The state has suspended his ability to practice medicine and he has been held without bail since his arrest.
He faces multiple 25 years to life sentences.
"As caregivers, we are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of our patients — it is a sacred trust. The crimes committed by this individual are heinous, despicable, and a fundamental betrayal of our mission and our patients’ trust," a NewYork-Presbyterian spokesperson said in a statement to Becker's. "We are appalled and deeply saddened by what these victims and their families have endured. In December 2022, as soon as the District Attorney made us aware of allegations of sexual abuse against this individual, he was immediately placed off duty, banned from hospital property, and terminated. We have been fully cooperating with the Queens District Attorney's office, the NYPD, and the NYS Department of Health. We have numerous stringent patient safety policies and protocols in place and our exhaustive review of this matter included an analysis of compliance with those policies, as well as the immediate implementation of additional training for all employees. At the same time, we have been examining the full breadth of our protections to identify any opportunities for further strengthening, in line with our unwavering commitment to the highest standard of patient safety and care."