Doctor Gets 24 Years for Horrific Abuse of Unconscious Patients

A New York City doctor who sexually abused sedated patients at a hospital and raped unconscious women at his home has been sentenced to 24 years in prison, bringing an end to a shocking case that horrified the medical community.

Zhi Alan Cheng, 35, admitted to abusing seven women, including three female patients under his care at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, the Queens District Attorney’s Office announced. He pleaded guilty in June to four counts of rape and three counts of sexual abuse and was sentenced on Thursday.

Prosecutors also alleged that Cheng abused an eighth woman who was a patient at the hospital. He entered an Alford plea on that charge, meaning he did not admit guilt but acknowledged there was enough evidence to convict him.

Most of Cheng’s victims had no memory of the assaults because they were sedated at the time. In one chilling instance, prosecutors said, a woman regained consciousness in the middle of a procedure and realized she was being assaulted.

The investigation began in 2022 after a female acquaintance discovered a disturbing video of Cheng abusing her while she was passed out at his home. Detectives searched his devices and home, uncovering multiple videos showing him sexually abusing women both in his residence and at the hospital. Authorities also recovered liquid anesthesia, raising concerns about how he incapacitated his victims.

Cheng has since been barred from practicing medicine. Officials at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens fully cooperated with investigators throughout the criminal probe.

This sentencing closes a deeply disturbing chapter, but for many of Cheng’s victims, the trauma caused by his betrayal of trust will last a lifetime.