QUEENS — A 35-year-old gastroenterologist, Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng, confessed to numerous charges involving rape and sexual abuse, targeting both acquaintances and female patients at the hospital. This was announced by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz on Monday.
Living in Astoria, Cheng initially faced a 50-count indictment in August 2023 for his criminal acts. More charges followed in March 2024 after another victim from the hospital came forward with allegations.
He acknowledged that he recorded the assaults on victims while they were unconscious, both in his apartment and at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital, occurring between 2020 and 2022. Cheng pleaded guilty to seven charges associated with rape and sexual abuse, and agreed to an Alford plea for an additional count of sexual abuse.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit Durant is expected to sentence him to 24 years in prison on Aug. 28.
“The level of violence and perversion displayed by Zhi Alan Cheng in sexually abusing multiple victims is compounded by the fact that he took an oath to do no harm as a medical professional,” Katz said. “I thank the brave victim who initially came forward and exposed this abuse. We hope the guilty plea allows all the victims to continue to heal.”
Cheng has been held without bail since his 2022 arrest.
His ability to practice medicine has been suspended by the state.
Cheng was arrested on Dec. 27, 2022, after a female aquaintance who was raped in his apartment, known as “Apartment Victim 1,” discovered videos depicting her and other women being assaulted by the doctor.
A search warrant led to the discovery of numerous digital media storage devices that contained videos of him sexually abusing unconscious female hospital patients, as well as Cheng’s female acquaintances. Authorities also seized a slew of drugs, including fentanyl, ketamine, cocaine, LSD and MDMA, as well as medical sedation drugs such as propofol and sevoflurane.
“The recovered evidence compiled paints the picture of a sexual predator of the absolute worst kind, a serial rapist, someone willing to not only violate his sacred professional oath and patients’ trust, but every standard of human decency, as well,” Katz said.
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