A doctor, by name Zhi Alan Cheng, has been arrested on 50 counts of rape and drugging of female patients in New York.
It is believed that some of Cheng’s identified attacks occurred while he was at work in the hospital.
On Monday (August 7), the 33-year-old New York City gastroenterologist appeared in a Queens court, where he was charged with orchestrating assaults throughout the globe.
In December 2022, Cheng’s ex-girlfriend claimed that he had knocked her out with liquid-soaked cotton inside a K-N95 mask and recorded the ensuing rape.
She apparently discovered footage of the assault on her and other women at the hospital where he works on his phone.
After his arrest, prosecutors said he was responsible for many attacks on women in Astoria, New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Thailand.
According to reports, the ages of his victims span from 19 to 47.
Six women have been seen on video being attacked, but authorities say the number could be higher.
Queens D.A, Melinda Katz, has appealed to anyone with information that could be relevant to the investigation to come forward.
She concluded that the facts pointed to “the worst kind of sexual predator, a serial rapist” who was willing to violate “every standard of human decency.”
In 2022, police searched the man’s house and found fentanyl, ketamine, LSD, and other surgical anaesthetics.
According to MailOnline, the first incident occurred in 2021, when he allegedly groped a 37-year-old patient who was unconscious on a hospital bed in Queens.
He is also charged with raping a 19-year-old lady who was about to have gallbladder surgery.
Prosecutors claim she woke up with “extreme pain to [her] lower abdomen” and that “when she woke up [the] doctor was no longer in [her] room” after he unexpectedly injected her.
About six months ago, New York-Presbyterian reported he was dismissed from his position there.
The hospital commented: “In December 2022, as soon as the District Attorney made us aware of allegations of sexual abuse against this individual, he was immediately placed off duty, banned from hospital property, and terminated.”
“We have been fully cooperating with the Queens District Attorney’s office, the NYPD, and the NYS Department of Health.”
Despite his not-guilty plea, he remains in custody at Rikers Island.