NEW YORK — Two New York hospitals have agreed to pay more than $165 million to 147 former patients who have accused a former gynecologist of sexual abuse and misconduct.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian announced the agreement Friday. Last year, the two hospitals reached a settlement to establish a $71 million compensation fund with 79 of Hadden’s former patients.
The doctor, Robert Hadden, surrendered his medical license after being convicted of sex-related charges in state court in 2016, but was not sentenced to prison. He is currently awaiting trial on separate federal charges for sexually abusing dozens of young and unsuspecting female patients for more than two decades.
The Englewood, New Jersey resident has pleaded not guilty to six counts of inciting others to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. A message was left on Friday with a lawyer representing Hadden.
Prosecutors have described Hadden as a “predator in a white coat,” accusing him of picking young and unsuspecting victims, including a young girl he gave birth to.
One of Hadden’s accusers was Evelyn Yang, the wife of former New York presidential and mayoral candidate Andrew Yang. She went public in 2020 with allegations that Hadden abused her in 2012 when she was his patient.
In a statement released Friday, Columbia University Irving Medical Center said, “We deeply regret the pain Robert Hadden’s patients have suffered and hope these resolutions will provide some support to the women he has hurt. came, deserves praise.”
Hadden prosecutor Marissa Hoechstetter, who was not part of Friday’s settlement, said in an email that New York’s Adult Survivors Act, signed by Democratic administration Kathy Hochul in May, will provide an avenue for what she calls “numerous other Had-survivors”. The law opened a one-year period for sexual abuse claims that would otherwise be statute-barred.
“We’re not done reckoning Hadden’s actions and the institution’s cover-up,” she said.