QUEENS, NY — Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng, a former physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital, was arraigned on new charges of sexual abuse. This development follows previous indictments for assaulting patients and other women, with over 60 charges now filed against him.
District Attorney Melinda Katz of Queens County disclosed that Cheng is accused of sexually abusing another patient under his care. He had previously been charged with abusing three patients in the hospital, drugging and raping three women in his home, and recording the assaults. Cheng was also indicted for the alleged rape of an acquaintance in December 2022.
The recent charges stem from an incident in November 2021, where a 48-year-old woman, sedated for a gastrointestinal procedure, reported waking to find Cheng sexually assaulting her. Cheng, 34, from Astoria, faces significant prison time, with potential sentences of 25 years to life for multiple counts.
Katz emphasized the severity of Cheng’s betrayal of trust and professional duty, describing the acts as “shocking and horrifying exploitation.” She has called on other potential victims to come forward.
Cheng’s medical license was suspended following his arrest on December 27, 2022, and he has been held without bail since. He is scheduled to return to court on May 17.