QUEENS, NY – Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has disclosed the indictment of Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng, following new allegations of sexual abuse at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital.
This indictment adds to previous accusations against Cheng, encompassing the sexual abuse of three hospital patients, the drugging and raping of three women at his home, and the recording of these incidents, alongside an earlier charge of raping an acquaintance.
Cheng, who was first indicted in December 2022 and again in August 2023, now faces over 60 charges after another victim reported abuse. District Attorney Katz has made a public appeal for other potential victims to come forward, providing contact details for the office’s Special Victims Bureau. The DA’s statement highlighted the egregious breach of trust and professional duty, describing Cheng as a serial predator exploiting vulnerable women.
The 34-year-old Astoria resident was arraigned on charges of first and second-degree sexual abuse, with Judge Ushir Pandit-Durant scheduling a court return on May 17. Cheng has been in custody without bail since his December 27, 2022, arrest, subsequent to the suspension of his medical license.
The most recent charges stem from a November 2021 incident where a 48-year-old woman, sedated for a gastrointestinal procedure, reported waking up to find Cheng sexually assaulting her. Cheng now potentially faces multiple sentences of 25 years to life if convicted.