UPDATE (11/20/23): Dr. Darius Paduch Charged in Superseding Indictment with Sexually Abusing Eight Patients
On October 24, 2023, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced that a grand jury in Manhattan federal court returned a superseding indictment charging disgraced urologist Dr. Darius Paduch with seven counts of inducing a person to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and six counts of inducing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, relating to his yearslong sexual abuse of eight victims who were his patients, six of whom were minors during part of the period of abuse.
According to the allegations in the superseding indictment:
- Over the course of several years, Dr. Paduch sexually abused 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 City.
- From at least in or about 2007 through at least in or about 2019, Dr. Paduch, while working as a urologist, enticed and induced multiple victims to travel to his medical offices so he could, among other things, sexually abuse the victims. Dr. Paduch also induced victims to travel to New Jersey where he abused and assaulted the victims under the guise of medical care. In or about 2019, Dr. Paduch began practicing at a different hospital located in Long Island, where he continued to sexually abuse patients. Dr. 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 he inflicted on them was medically necessary and appropriate when, in fact, it was not. Dr. Paduch often directed 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 Dr. Paduch over the course of multiple years, at which he repeatedly abused them.
- Dr. Paduch induced six victims to travel to New York City, from or through another state to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Dr. Paduch allegedly induced one victim to travel from New York to another state to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Dr. Paduch also used a telephone and other means of interstate commerce to induce six minor victims to engage in the unlawful sexual activity.
UPDATE (10/11/23): PCVA Files 19 Additional Lawsuits Alleging Abuse by Urologist Dr. Darius Paduch
PCVA filed an additional 19 lawsuits on behalf of patients who allege they were sexually violated and abused by Dr. Darius Paduch during medical examinations while Dr. Paduch was practicing medicine at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and/or Northwell Health. The latest wave of filings adds to the slew of mounting allegations of serial abuse of patients who came to Dr. Paduch for his expertise in urology but were subjected to degrading, sexually violating, and medically unfounded acts.
Read more about this development here.
UPDATE (8/21/23): PCVA Files 28 Additional Lawsuits Alleging Abuse by Urologist Dr. Darius Paduch
Twenty-eight additional plaintiffs have come forward alleging they were sexually abused by urologist Dr. Darius Paduch at either NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center or Northwell Health. The latest wave of filings is another in the dozens of civil lawsuits involving Dr. Paduch filed by our firm, many spanning over a decade and including several minors. The lawsuits allege that both hospitals exhibited a pattern of negligence and dismissal of their concerns, taking no measures to safeguard their patients despite receiving multiple, serious complaints of Dr. Paduch’s sexual misconduct.
Read more about this development here.
UPDATE (5/24/2023): PCVA Files 31 Additional Lawsuits Alleging Abuse by Urologist Dr. Darius Paduch
An additional 31 plaintiffs have come forward alleging they were sexually abused by urologist Dr. Darius Paduch at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center or Northwell Health. The new filings bring the total number of civil lawsuits involving allegations of sexual abuse by Dr. Paduch to 37.
UPDATE (4/11/2023): Dr. Paduch arrested by FBI following grand jury indictment for sexual abuse
On April 11, 2023, urologist Dr. Darius Paduch was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation after he was indicted by a grand jury on four counts of unlawful sexual activity. Dr. Paduch was criminally charged with sexually abusing his patients for years. The indictment details Dr. Paduch’s abuse of patients at prominent medical institutions in New York. Dr. Paduch purported to be providing his victims with necessary and appropriate medical treatment, when in fact, he was sexually abusing them for his own sexual gratification.
As outlined in the indictment, Dr. Paduch commonly used certain means and methods to abuse his patients. Dr. Paduch ensured he was alone with his victims. He played pornography for his victims, directed them to masturbate in his presence, touched victims’ genitalia without warning and without wearing gloves, insisted on masturbating them himself and / or simulating them with a vibrating instrument, and instructed victims to orgasm and ejaculate in his presence without any valid medical purpose. Additionally, Dr. Paduch often penetrated victims’ rectums with his fingers, without gloves, and while masturbating them for no valid medical purpose. During these appointments, Dr. Paduch was often uncomfortably close to his victims, who observed that Dr. Paduch himself was sexually aroused. Dr. Paduch further initiated conversations with his victims about their sexual activity, physical appearance, and physique, and volunteered details of his own sexual activity. Dr. Paduch then arranged his victims’ appointment schedules, often them provided his personal cell phone number, and coerced them into returning to see him.
While the criminal charges pertain to only two of Dr. Paduch’s minor victims, the means and methods he used to abuse his patients were common across victims of all ages. To read the full grand jury indictment, please click here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/press-release/file/1579101/download.
A Call for Witnesses: Survivors of Sexual Predator Dr. Darius Paduch
Dr. Darius Paduch sexually abused his patients – both adults and children – while working as a urologist at New York hospitals. His assaults occurred under the guise of “medical treatment” for patients and “educational instruction” for high school-age interns — in other words, children.
PCVA has filed several lawsuits against Dr. Paduch’s former employers, New York–Presbyterian Hospital and Northwell Health, on behalf patients about by him. PCVA filed the first lawsuit involving Dr. Paduch in December 2022, which involved a patient who was abused by Dr. Paduch between the ages of 16 and 18, as both a patient and an intern.
We represent nearly two dozen other survivors of Paduch’s abuse and have spoken to even more. We are urging anyone who experienced sexual abuse at the hands of Dr. Paduch to come forward.
How did Dr. Paduch abuse his victims?
Educated in Poland and the United States, Dr. Paduch began his medical career in the early 2000s and worked at New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center for many years as a urologist specializing in male infertility and sexual dysfunction. He moved to Northwell Health in Long Island in 2019.
Dr. Paduch exploited patients in his examination room under the pretense of providing medical treatment. One of his victims reported that, when he was 16, the doctor exposed him to pornography and performed sexual acts on him. Dr. Paduch also demanded that the patient send videos of himself masturbating. Others have reported that Dr. Paduch pressed himself against them while masturbating them, and made other sexual advances.
Dr. Paduch also recruited the patient, a high school student, as an intern, and forced the intern to watch him masturbate other patients, claiming it was for “clinical instruction.”
Like many other sexual predators, Dr. Paduch veiled his abuse and assault as something legitimate or harmless.
I feel like I was violated by Dr. Paduch, but does it merit filing a lawsuit?
Dr. Paduch exploited his position as a physician and masked his abuse as medical treatment.
Even if there is no outward injury to the body, sexual abuse causes serious injury to the nervous system — especially to children, who are still developing neurologically.
The effects of sexual violence can include:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Flashbacks
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Panic attacks
- Substance abuse
- Disordered sleep
- Sexual dysfunction
These are serious issues that can harm a person’s ability to work, study, maintain relationships and enjoy their lives the way they used to. Treatment for sexual abuse-related damage can take a long time and become very expensive.
Who is responsible for Dr. Paduch’s sexual abuse?
In New York, a doctor’s employer has a responsibility to ensure that patients and students are safe when seeking treatment and using its facilities. The employer should be held responsible if its employee commits crimes that harm patients and the employer either knew or should have known that the employee posed a danger. PCVA is suing New York–Presbyterian Hospital on behalf of survivors of Dr. Paduch’s sexual abuse because PCVA has reason to believe that both New York Presbyterian and Northwell Health knew that Dr. Paduch posed a danger to patients because others reported concerning conduct and these institutions took no action to protect others.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit in New York if I was sexually assaulted or abused?
The New York Adult Survivors Act gives certain deadlines for survivors of sexual abuse to file lawsuits regarding abuse they suffered as an adult. The deadlines fall into two categories.
Survivors have until they reach the age of 55 to file a lawsuit against the perpetrator and an institution if:
- The abuse occurred after 2018, or
- They were under the age of 21 as of February 14, 2018
Other survivors had until November 23 to file under the Adult Survivors Act. There is legislative discussion about possibly reopening the window in the future or future statutory reform. We are happy to speak to you about your options and rights.
Can I come forward or sue anonymously if I’m worried about my privacy?
Most likely. The law usually allows attorneys to file lawsuits on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse using a pseudonym, like “John Doe” or “Jane Doe,” or our client’s initials. Moreover, it may be possible to resolve your case privately without filing a lawsuit or going to court.
How can survivors receive damages for sexual abuse?
Our attorneys have been involved in some of the most complicated and concerning sexual abuse cases in the country and are often consulted by other law firms for guidance and expertise when representing sexual abuse survivors. We take a trauma-informed approach to our representation that acknowledges the sensitive nature of these cases.
Every case is different and results – which depend on the facts of the case – cannot be guaranteed. However, we will fight to hold accountable the institutions and individuals who failed to protect survivors. Through our efforts, we have helped recover hundreds of millions of dollars in damages on behalf of abuse survivors. While no amount of monetary compensation can erase the trauma of abuse, the financial assistance can help pay for necessary expenses to allow the healing process to begin.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse or assault at the hands of Dr. Darius Paduch, our attorneys are here to listen and help. Learn more about how we help sexual abuse survivors or schedule a no obligation consultation with one of our lawyers by completing our online form or by calling us at (206) 536-2850.
How much do you charge?
Our work is done on a contingency basis. This means that you do not pay us on an hourly basis, and we advance the costs of litigation. If we help you resolve your case, we receive a percentage of the amount you receive, and you reimburse us for the costs we advanced on your behalf.
Media coverage about the lawsuits:
Doctor Is Charged With Sexually Abusing 2 Patients When They Were Minors, The New York Times, 4/11/23
New York urologist accused of rampant sexual abuse of patients, CBS New York, 4/11/23
Urologist accused of patient sex abuse, including of minors, ABC News, 4/11/23
NYC urologist accused of sexually abusing patients, Gothamist, 4/11/23
Manhattan urologist, 55, is sued after telling seven male patients – including two minors – to masturbate while he played porn, performing rectal exams without gloves and using sex toys, Daily Mail, 4/12/23
Survivor of New York urologist charged with sexually abusing patients says he spoke out so the doctor ‘had no more opportunities to abuse anyone’, Insider, 4/12/23
Doctor sexually assaulted children and played porn during physical exams, feds say, Belleville News-Democrat, 4/12/23
Who is Darius Paduch? Urologist Accused of Sexual Abuse of Patients, SDGLN, 4/12/23
Prominent New York urologist charged with serial sex assaults against patients, including minors, Fox News, 4/11/23
‘Abuse of his patients ends today’: Urologist at ‘prominent’ hospitals federally indicted after lawsuits allege disturbing sex crimes, Law & Crime, 4/12/23
Doctor sexually assaulted children and played porn during physical exams, feds say, Tri-City Herald, 4/13/23
New York Urologist Charged With Sexually Abusing Patients, LongIsland.com, 4/13/23
Accused sex-abuse doc sued by 4 more men in NYC, New York Post, 2/13/23
Manhattan urologist sexually abused 16-year-old high school intern, lawsuit claims, New York Post, 12/13/22
Our Case Results
Confidential Settlements Reached in Pediatric Endocrinologist Sexual Abuse Case Against Rockefeller University Hospital
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$4.9M Settlement Reached in Toutle River Boys Ranch Sex Abuse Lawsuit
$4.2M Settlement Reached in Coach Sexual Abuse Case Against University Place School District
$1.4M Settlement Reached in Washington Department of Social and Health Services Foster Services Sex Abuse Lawsuit