New York Personal Injury Attorneys BlogQueens Doctor Pleads Guilty to Drugging and Raping Women — Including Hospital Patients
The recent guilty plea of Queens gastroenterologist Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng underscores a chilling breach of medical trust — and a tragic reminder of how vulnerable patients can be to sexual abuse, even in the most trusted settings.
As New York doctor sexual abuse attorneys, we represent survivors of physician misconduct and work to hold abusers — and the institutions that enable them — fully accountable under the law.
Multiple Victims, Shocking Abuse
According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Dr. Cheng, 35, pleaded guilty to seven counts related to rape and sexual abuse and entered an Alford plea to one count of sexual abuse. The charges stem from his assault of both hospital patients and acquaintances between 2020 and 2022.
The abuse took place at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital and in his Astoria apartment. Prosecutors revealed that Cheng filmed the sexual assaults of unconscious victims, many of whom were sedated using drugs including propofol, sevoflurane, fentanyl, ketamine, MDMA, and cocaine.
The case came to light after a woman known as “Apartment Victim 1” discovered disturbing footage of her sexual assault on Cheng’s devices and notified authorities. A subsequent search warrant uncovered numerous digital media files documenting additional abuse — including that of sedated hospital patients.
Cheng has been held without bail since his arrest in December 2022. He is expected to be sentenced to 24 years in prison this August. His medical license has been suspended.
Hospitals Must Be Held Accountable
Sexual abuse by doctors is not only criminal, it is a violation of the sacred trust between physicians and patients. It also raises serious questions about hospital oversight, internal reporting systems, and how someone like Dr. Cheng was allowed to operate undetected for so long.
At our firm, we represent survivors of sexual abuse by medical professionals. In many cases, institutions like hospitals, clinics, or medical groups can and should be held liable for failing to properly supervise or respond to red flags. We work with medical experts and investigators to uncover systemic failures and help survivors seek the full compensation and justice they deserve.
Survivors Deserve Justice — and Support
If you or a loved one were sexually abused by a doctor, especially while under sedation or in a hospital setting, you are not alone. We understand how difficult it is to come forward after such a betrayal. That is why we handle every case with the highest degree of confidentiality, care, and professionalism.
Contact our experienced New York doctor sexual abuse attorneys at 212-943-1090 or fill out our confidential form to schedule a free consultation. We have the expertise, resources, and trial experience needed to hold abusers — and the institutions that protected them — fully accountable.
