Former gynecologist Robert Hadden awaits sentencing, with prosecutors pushing for a minimum 25-year prison term. They argue his actions constitute a "staggering" number of sexual assaults committed over his 25-year career at prominent Manhattan hospitals. Hadden exploited his position to abuse vulnerable patients seeking medical care, engaging in serial predatory behavior disguised as medical practice.
Hadden, 64, from Englewood, New Jersey, was found guilty in January of enticing victims to cross state lines for sexual abuse. Nine former patients provided testimonies during the trial. His defense argues for a three-year sentence, citing his decade-long abstinence from medical practice and the hardships he's faced in jail, including threats and significant weight loss.
While Hadden's lawyers acknowledged the abuse, they pointed to his 2016 state court guilty plea for similar offenses. This plea led to the revocation of his medical license but no prison time. Prosecutors, however, emphasize that Hadden's predatory behavior began early in his career at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (later New York-Presbyterian Hospital) in 1987.
Trial evidence revealed between 167 and 310 instances of sexual abuse or assault on numerous patients. Hadden refined his methods over two decades to avoid detection, building trust with victims through personal conversations and a seemingly family-friendly office environment. He would then subject patients to inappropriate questioning and commentary about their bodies and sexual lives.
Hadden manipulated situations to isolate patients in examination rooms, conducting unnecessary “second exams” to perpetrate the assaults. His actions affected a vast number of individuals under the guise of medical treatment. Hadden's career ended when complaints surfaced, leading to his departure from Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. These institutions have since settled civil claims from over 200 former patients for more than $236 million.
