NYC doctor, 34, who 'filmed himself drugging then raping female patients' is ... trends now

A New York doctor accused of filming himself drugging, raping and sexually abusing women, including hospital patients, has been indicted on new charges after another alleged victim came forward.

Zhi Alan Cheng, 34, who was handcuffed and dressed in beige jail-issued t-shirt and pants, appeared in Queens Supreme Court on Thursday where he was arraigned for the third time over claims of sexual assault.

The latest charges accuse him of sedating and 'digitally penetrating' a 48-year-old woman, who was scheduled to undergo a gastrointestinal procedure at New York-Presbyterian Queens hospital in November 2021.

He pleaded not guilty to the additional counts of first and second degree sexual abuse and Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant remanded him in jail.

Cheng was hit with 61 charges which relate to sexual assault and unlawful surveillance against six women in August and is accused of assaulting three female hospital patients aged between 19 and 47 from June 2021 to May 2022. 

While four other women have alleged he drugged and sexually abused them in his Queens apartment between 2020 and 2022.

A woman recently came forward to authorities with the allegations that she woke up to find Cheng ‘digitally penetrating her’.

Digital penetration is defined as the use of fingers to sexually penetrate a person's the vagina or anus. 

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Regan told the court the doctor was identified in a photo lineup on February 22.

Melinda Katz, the Queens district attorney, said: ‘What we have heard from the victims and seen in the videos is the shocking and horrifying exploitation of women at their most vulnerable.

‘Taken together, the evidence details the repeated attacks of a sexual predator who time and again betrayed his sworn professional oath and the trust of women who were unable to defend themselves.’

Nicholas Liakas, who represents alleged victims in the case, said: ‘Another victim has come forward, which we anticipated when this first came out.

‘The fear here is there are going to be more victims that come forward throughout the process of this case and we urge them to do so.

‘Back many months ago, one of the first victims was not aware that she had been raped until she was shown a video by the District Attorney’s office and we fear there may be many more like that.

‘The hospital failed on multiple levels. It could have been prevented or once it occurred it could have been investigated properly.

‘Had it been investigated at that point, had he been suspended, had his license been revoked at that point. It would have prevented an additional assault that we know of.’

Cheng’s defense attorney Jeffrey Einhorn said it was still too early to comment on the case.