Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng of Astoria pleaded guilty to multiple counts of rape and sexual abuse for assaulying acquaintanced and female hospital patients. Via LinkedIn
July 1, 2025 By Bill Parry
An Astoria doctor admitted he raped multiple unconscious women at his apartment and sexually abused others at New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital where the gastroenterologist was employed.
Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng, 35, or Broadway, pleaded guilty Monday in Queens Supreme Court to four counts of rape in the first degree and three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree in satisfaction of the consolidated indictments against him. The sexual predator had been held without bail since his initial arrest in 2022, and his ability to practice medicine has been suspended by the state.
Cheng was arrested on December 27, 2022, for raping a woman in his apartment after she discovered videos depicting her and other women being assaulted by the doctor. The victim’s attorney approached the Queens District Attorney’s office with the information. An investigation was launched by the DA’s Special Victims Bureau, working with New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital in Flushing.
New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital apologized to the victims and their families for all they have endured.
A search warrant executed at Cheng’s Astoria apartment led to the seizure of numerous digital media storage devices that contained videos of him sexually abusing unconscious female hospital patients, as well as Cheng’s female acquaintances.
Also seized were quantities of fentanyl, ketamine, cocaine, LSD, and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, and molly, as well as drugs used in health care settings for sedation, such as propofol and sevoflurane.
Cheng was charged in a 50-count indictment for the crimes in August 2023. He was subsequently indicted on additional charges in March 2024 after another hospital victim came forward.
According to the evidence, Cheng recorded himself groping the breast and genitals of his first victim, a 19-year-old sedated female patient at the hospital in June 2021. His second victim at the hospital was a 47-year-old woman who was seriously ill and unconscious when Chen recorded himself groping her breast and genitals in May 2022. Sometime between March 2021 and June 2021, Cheng recorded himself groping the breasts and genitals of his third victim at the hospital, a sedated 37-year-old female patient. His fourth victim at the hospital was a 48-year-old woman who went to New York Presbyterian Queens Hospital in November 2021 with a condition that required a gastrointestinal procedure. The victim was sedated during the procedure, after which she awoke to find Cheng digitally penetrating her.
The investigation by the DA’s Special Victims Bureau determined that three other woman had been raped at Cheng’s Astoria apartment including a victim who met him through an online dating site who was seen on videos recorded around July 2021 apparently unconscious in his bed as he engaged in sexual conduct with her. She appeared to have a tissue over her face in some videos. A brown bottle was seen on the bed, similar to the bottle containing the anesthetic sevoflurane that was recovered at his home. That victim had no memory of the events.
Cheng met another victim through an online dating site in spring 2022 and was seen in numerous videos in his bedroom. She was apparently unconscious, and Cheng engaged in acts of sexual intercourse and other sexual abuse. She had no memory of the events.
Then there was an acquaintance who spent several nights at Cheng’s Broadway apartment from 2020 to 2022. She was seen on videos apparently unconscious as Cheng committed acts of sexual intercourse and abuse. Cheng was seen handling a brown bottle similar to the bottle seized from his home, containing the anesthetic sevoflurane. She, too, had no memory of the events.
“The level of violence and perversion displayed by Zhi Alan Cheng in sexually abusing multiple victims is compounded by the fact that he took an oath to do no harm as a medical professional,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Following a strong case built by members of my Special Victims Bureau, the defendant admitted guilt to raping unconscious victims in his apartment and sexually abusing sedated patients in the hospital on numerous ocassions.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant is expected to sentence Cheng to 24 years in prison on August 28.
“As caregivers, we are responsible for the safety and well-being of our patients. It is a solid trust,” New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital said in a statement. “The crimes committed by this individual are heinous, deplorable, and a fundamental betrayal of our mission and the patients’ trust. We are deeply sorry for all that the victims and their families have endured. We have continuously worked with law enforcement and with the District Attorney’s office to advance this investigation and see that justice is served.”
Katz praised the female acquaintance who was raped at Cheng’s apartment in 2022 and discovered the videos that led to his arrest and launched the investigation by her Special Victims Bureau.
“I thank the brave victim who initially came forward and exposed this abuse,” Katz said. “We hope the guilty plea allows all the victims to continue to heal.”
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