Columbia, New York-Presbyterian Hospital settle hundreds of sex abuse claims involving ex-doctor

Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital have agreed to a $750 million settlement of hundreds of sexual abuse claims by patients of disgraced and imprisoned former gynecologist Robert Hadden, bringing total legal payouts in civil cases involving the ex-doctor to over $1 billion, according to the plaintiffs' lawyer.

Hadden, now 66, was accused of molesting patients during a decades-long career at prestigious New York City hospitals including Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian. He was convicted by a jury in 2023 of federal sex crime charges and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

The new settlements, approved by a Manhattan judge Monday, come in 576 legal cases against the Ivy League school, the hospital and others over the abuse by Hadden, plaintiffs' attorney Anthony T. DiPietro said.

“This victory is not just for the victims and survivors of Columbia University and The New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s cover-up who bravely came forward, but for all of us who entrust medical institutions with our health care,” DiPietro said in statement.

“For far too long, Columbia and New York-Presbyterian have prioritized protecting their reputations over protecting their patients," he said. "This settlement sends a powerful message that we’re here to ensure that institutions covering up exploitation and abuse will be held fully accountable for their crimes.”

DiPietro said the average payout to plaintiffs from the new settlement will be about $1.3 million. Columbia previously agreed to $277 million in settlements with more than 200 other plaintiffs over Hadden's sexual abuse, he said.

Columbia confirmed the settlement but not the amount Tuesday. Lawyers for the school and New York-Presbyterian did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

“As previously announced, Columbia is implementing a multi-pronged plan, including an external investigation, a survivors’ settlement fund, and a series of new and updated patient safety policies and programs to address the abuses of Robert Hadden," the university said in statement responding to an Associated Press message specifically asking about the $750 million deal.

“We deeply regret the pain that his patients suffered, and this settlement is another step forward in our ongoing work and commitment to repair harm and support survivors,” it said. "We commend the survivors for their bravery in coming forward.”

New York-Presbyterian referred questions about the settlement to Columbia, saying the school employed Hadden.

One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuits, Laurie Maldonado, who sued Columbia, New York-Presbyterian, Hadden and others, said her case was not about money.

“It's about accountability,” she said in a statement provided by DiPietro. "Columbia University enabled sadistic abuse, and now, they’ve been forced to face the truth. We hope this sends a clear message to every institution: survivors will not be silenced, and those who protect abusers will be held responsible.”

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, like Maldonado has.

Hadden’s accusers also included Evelyn Yang, the wife of former presidential candidate and New York mayoral candidate Andrew Yang, who said Hadden abused her when she was pregnant with her first child.

During Hadden's criminal trial, nine victims testified about how Hadden molested them during gynecology treatments, starting in the late 1980s, at prominent hospitals.

Allegations of misconduct during examinations first surfaced in 2012. Hadden was indicted on state charges in 2014 as women kept coming forward. But in 2016, the office of the Manhattan district attorney at the time, Cyrus Vance Jr., allowed Hadden to plead guilty to two low-level felonies and a misdemeanor in a deal that required him to give up his medical license but did not require jail time and kept him out of the state’s sex offender registry.

Some of the women who had gone to state prosecutors were outraged, but their stories did not start receiving public attention until the #MeToo movement began gaining steam in 2017.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan got a grand jury indictment against Hadden in 2020, charges based on the fact that some patients at his New York offices had come into the city from other states.

In November 2023, Columbia and Columbia University Irving Medical Center announced they would be notifying 6,500 former patients of Hadden of his federal sex crime convictions and giving victims the opportunity to apply for compensation from a $100 million settlement fund. The deadline to apply has been extended to May 15.