‘Abuse of his patients ends today’: Urologist at ‘prominent’ hospitals federally indicted after lawsuits allege disturbing sex crimes

A New York City urologist already facing civil lawsuits for allegedly sexually abusing a high school intern and multiple minor male patients over a period of years now faces a federal indictment.

According to the four-count grand jury indictment in the Southern District of New York, North Bergen, N.J. resident Darius Paduch, 55, illicitly induced and enticed two minor patients to travel from out of state to New York so that he could “engage in unlawful sexual activity,” namely sexual abuse. Federal prosecutors said that the victims were minors when the abuse began but that the abuse continued after they turned 18.

“[O]ver the course of several years, DARIUS A. PADUCH, the defendant, sexually abused and assaulted multiple male patients, including minor male patients, while conducting purported urological examinations in his capacity as a medical doctor employed by a prestigious medical institution in New York,” the indictment began. “In particular, from at least in or about 2015 through at least in or about 2019, DARIUS A. PADUCH, the defendant, while working as a urologist, enticed and induced multiple victims to travel to his medical offices […] so PADUCH could, among other things, sexually abuse and assault the victims.”

Paduch, who specializes in male reproductive health, was employed at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center during the time period above, but in 2019, the feds said, he started practicing medicine on Long Island, at Northwell Health. The pattern of abuse allegedly continued.

“In or about 2019, PADUCH began practicing at a different hospital located in Long Island, New York […], where he continued to sexually abuse and assault victims,” the indictment said. “PADUCH used his position as a urologist at prominent medical institutions in New York, to make or attempt to make the victims believe that the sexual abuse and assault he inflicted on them was medically necessary and appropriate. PADUCH often dirceted the victims to schedule follow-up visits, and he instructed victims to return to see him again. As a result, some of the victims attended many appointments with PADUCH over the course of multiple years, at which PADUCH repeatedly abused and assaulted them.”

The urologist “frequently initiated conversations with victims about their sexual activity, physical appearance, and physiques, including the length or size of their penises,” even though “[s]uch discussions had no bearing on medical treatment,” the indictment added.

Minor Victim-1

The indictment alleged that Paduch “repeatedly sexually abused and assaulted Minor Victim-1 through a course of conduct that lacked any valid medical purpose” from 2015 to 2017.

“During multiple appointments with Minor Victim-1, PADUCH played pomography and used his ungloved hand to masturbate Minor Victim-1 until Minor Victim-1 ejaculated,” the indictment said. “On at least one such occasion, after Minor Victim-1 ejaculated, PADUCH smeared Minor Victim-1’s ejaculate on Minor Victim-1’s mouth and expressed incredulity that Minor Victim-1 had never tasted his own semen.”

On another occasion, court documents alleged, Paduch “inserted his finger into Minor Victim-1’s rectum for no valid medical purpose.” The alleged assaults occurred after the doctor recommended then-minor victim’s parents exited the room, the feds said.

Minor Victim-2

Prosecutors said the alleged crimes against Minor Victim-2 occurred over the course of a 7-year period, beginning in 2015. The description of those alleged assaults against Minor Victim-2 was substantially similar to the description of the alleged assaults against Minor Victim-1.

“Minor Victim-2 went to PADUCH for regular appointments at which PADUCH routinely directed Minor Victim-2 to strip naked and used his ungloved hand to masturbate Minor Victim-2 until Minor Victim-2 ejaculated. Although Minor Victim-2’s parents accompanied Minor Victim 2 to appointments, PADUCH sexually abused and assaulted Minor Victim-2 only when Minor Victim-2’s parents were not present in the examination room,” the indictment said. “During multiple appointments, DARIUS A. PADUCH, the defendant, conducted a medically unnecessary ‘rectal exam’ of Minor Victim-2.”

In the cases of both victims, prosecutors alleged, Paduch used a phone to encourage the minors to return to his office for more appointments and sexual abuse. He would allegedly make “inappropriate and sexual comments and jokes” in texts.

Lawsuits

Prior to the unsealing of the indictment, civil lawsuits had already alleged that Paduch was a serial sexual predator.

Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC (PVCA) the Washington state-based law firm which field several lawsuits against the disgraced doctor’s former employers, alleged rampant sexual abuse of patients between the ages of 14 and 30.

The defendant demanded that one patient “send videos of himself masturbating,” the firm said. Paduch also “pressed himself against [victims] while masturbating them, and made other sexual advances,” the firm added.

Tucker Coburn said in an interview with CBS News that Paduch “touched [him] inappropriately and pressed himself up against me to demonstrate his sexual interest.”

“I have spent a long time questioning my body, questioning whether there was something wrong with me or something that I had done to produce that reaction from my doctor,” Coburn said. Coburn said his “number 1 goal” since 2020, when he reported the allegations, was to see Paduch behind bars.

“Beyond that, at the very least, I hope this indictment ends his medical career,” Coburn said.

In a statement for PVCA, attorney Mallory Allen said that indictment represents a “defining step towards justice for [Paduch’s] many victims, and we applaud federal prosecutors for bringing these charges.”

“Paduch preyed on patients who sought care and medical treatment for sensitive issues and when they were at their most vulnerable, lying on treatment beds in hospital rooms. NY Presbyterian and Northwell Health ignored the concerns of patients and their own employees, and enabled Dr. Paduch to abuse patients with impunity – and we will fight to hold them accountable,” Allen said.

Without commenting on the pending litigation, spokespeople for the institutions that employed Paduch reportedly told the New York Times that the hospitals took the allegations “very seriously.” Weill Cornell Medicine reportedly said an outside law firm is currently investigating Paduch’s “behavior”; Northwell is reportedly cooperating with investigators.

Paduch was arrested on Tuesday, one week after the indictment was filed under seal, according to the federal court docket.

“As alleged, for years, Darius Paduch abused the trust of patients, including minors, who saw him for sensitive medical problems. Paduch took advantage of his victims for his own deviant satisfaction,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in a statement. “Thanks to this morning’s arrest, Paduch’s abuse of his patients ends today.”

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. As of Wednesday morning, the court docket does not show an attorney of record for Paduch. He faces decades in prison to life, if convicted as charged.

Judge Abrams is the sister of Law&Crime founder Dan Abrams.

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