New York urologist convicted of years-long patient sex abuse, including of minors
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A New York-based urologist was convicted Wednesday in the years-long sexual abuse of multiple patients, including four children.
Darius Paduch was a urologist, treating men and boys dealing with extremely personal and sensitive reproductive health conditions, including a fertility disorder he specialized in.
A jury unanimously found him guilty on 11 federal sexual abuse counts.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Paduch "leveraged his position of trust as a medical doctor for his own perverse gratification."
"For years, patients seeking needed medical care, many of them children, left his office as victims," Williams said. "I commend the career prosecutors of this Office for bringing this important case to a just conclusion."
There were seven victims in this federal case, but more than 200 other men claim Paduch abused and violated their bodies and their trust.
Victim attorney Anthony T. DiPietro says red flags were raised as early as 2006.
"Patients were complaining to New York Presbyterian hospital. Colleagues were complaining about Paduch's misconduct with patients. This had gone on for almost 20 years," he said.
Paduch worked at Weil Cornell's Brady Urological institute. DiPietro says Paduch resigned after multiple complaints, but Weill Cornell allowed him to resign, and he remained a predator.
"He ended up at Northwell as a result of Weill Cornell not doing their job and reporting him to the authorities like they should have," DiPietro said.
Weill Cornell also gave Eyewitness News a statement about Wednesday's conviction, saying they have made changes to policies and training requirements and launched new patient safety programs to prevent this from happening again.
Northwell released the following statement:
"We have been deeply disturbed by the information that has been revealed throughout the course of the criminal proceedings against Dr. Paduch, who has not been affiliated with Northwell for some time. Northwell Health cooperated fully with authorities in connection with the prosecution of Dr. Paduch. Because this matter is the subject of continuing criminal proceedings against Dr. Paduch and pending civil litigation, we are unable to comment further at this time."
Weill Cornell released the following statement:
"The acts described during this trial are deeply disturbing and we remain heartbroken for these survivors. Patient safety has always been our highest priority, and it is our obligation to foster and maintain an environment that promotes dignity and respect for everyone who entrusts us with their care. We have implemented enhancements to our policies and training requirements and launched new patient safety programs to prevent such abhorrent conduct occurring in the future."
Northwell and Paduch's other past employers are named in a state civil case, on behalf of dozens of John Does whose horrific trauma might have been prevented.
"The institutions who've lied, who've gaslit, who've exposed unsuspecting patients to a known serial predator, the case against these institutions is just getting started," DiPietro said.
Paduch's conviction on Wednesday was a federal case because it involved men who were minors at the time of the abuse or traveled across state lines, and the FBI investigated.
Their attorney says testifying was extremely difficult, some had never told family or friends, but they knew this was necessary to protect others.
"You have to understand, most of these men have never told anyone what happened to them. They haven't told their spouse, they haven't told their friends," DiPietro said. "And the idea that they're going to get up in a public setting in front of a court, in front of a jury and share what happened to them is so incredibly powerful and I'm so glad they've allowed justice to be served."
Eyewitness News has reached out to Paduch's attorney Michael Baldassare, who released the following statement:
"Dr. Darius Paduch has maintained his innocence since the start of this case. He maintains it to this day and we will continue to fight for him. We will be filing post trial motions and an appeal and will seek all available relief."
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