In June of 2025, Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng pleaded guilty in criminal court to three counts of sexual abuse and four counts of rape. In August 2025, he was sentenced to 24 years in New York state prison, followed by 10 years of post-release supervision and sex offender registration requirements. However, those seven counts represent just a few of the 61 total charges he faced of filming himself committing sexual assault against unconscious women, acts that allegedly occurred inside his home, at the hospital where he worked, and at various other locations around the world.
If you suffered sexual assault by Dr. Cheng, you may be able to seek civil restitution from him directly, as well as from the medical facilities that enabled his misconduct. The attorneys at Phillip
s Law Group have decades of experience pursuing cases of this type, and a qualified lawyer’s support will significantly improve the chances of success of Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng sexual abuse lawsuits.
Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng was first arrested in December 2022 after a female acquaintance reported to police that Dr. Cheng had drugged and sexually assaulted her at his home. During subsequent investigations, law enforcement authorities discovered that Dr. Cheng had numerous video recordings of himself using a chemical substance to render women unconscious and then assaulting them. Not all the women filmed and assaulted by Dr. Cheng have been identified, but those who have ranged in age from as young as 19 to as old as 47.
Following Dr. Cheng’s arrest, the state of New York suspended his medical license, and his employment was terminated at New York Presbyterian Queens, where he practiced after receiving a medical degree from Albany Medical College and then completing residency at San Francisco’s California Pacific Medical Center in 2020. Based on already uncovered evidence, investigators believe that Dr. Cheng was a serial predator who assaulted women in numerous U.S. cities as well as in Thailand, and that there may be many more victims of his who have yet to come forward. Further sexual abuse victims might choose to pursue criminal charges or civil proceedings against Dr. Cheng.
Public records from the Queens District Attorney’s Office show that Cheng pleaded guilty on June 30, 2025, to four counts of rape in the first degree and three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree. He also entered an Alford plea to one additional count of sexual abuse. On August 28, 2025, a Queens Supreme Court judge sentenced him to 24 years in prison and 10 years of post-release supervision.
That sentence may give some survivors a measure of accountability, but the criminal case does not automatically compensate victims for medical costs, therapy, lost income, trauma, or the long-term impact of sexual violence. A civil lawsuit serves a different purpose. It allows a survivor to pursue financial recovery and may also help uncover whether a hospital, employer, or other institution failed to prevent foreseeable harm.
A guilty plea can be important evidence, but it does not replace a civil sexual abuse lawsuit. Criminal prosecutors focus on punishment and public safety. Civil attorneys focus on a survivor’s losses, the available sources of compensation, and whether other parties share responsibility for what happened.
In Dr. Cheng-related civil claims, a lawyer may review whether medical facilities had warning signs, whether patient complaints were handled properly, whether records or physical evidence were preserved, and whether hospital procedures allowed Cheng to be alone with vulnerable or sedated patients. These questions matter because many survivors need answers that go beyond the criminal sentence.
A sexual abuse lawsuit against Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng may allow recovery for both financial and personal losses caused by his illegal acts, including:
New York Presbyterian Queens may also hold some civil liability for failing to proactively protect patients from being assaulted by an employee or potentially for failing to act quickly enough to dismiss and report Dr. Cheng once allegations first surfaced against him.
You may have a potential claim if Dr. Cheng sexually assaulted you, drugged you, filmed you without consent, touched you while you were sedated or unconscious, or abused you under the cover of medical care. Some survivors may know they were harmed because law enforcement contacted them. Others may have only partial memories, unexplained concerns about a medical encounter, or later-discovered information that raises questions about what happened.
Because investigators reported that not every woman shown in the recovered videos had been identified, survivors should not assume they are out of options simply because they were never named in the criminal case. A private legal review can help determine whether the facts support a civil claim and whether records, witness accounts, hospital files, or criminal-case evidence may help connect the abuse to Dr. Cheng.
Sexual abuse cases involving medical providers often turn on records that survivors may not have in their possession. A lawyer can help request and preserve evidence before it disappears or becomes harder to obtain. Helpful evidence may include hospital records, discharge paperwork, prescription or anesthesia records, communications with hospital staff, police reports, victim-notification documents, therapy records, and any messages or notes created around the time of the abuse.
Survivors do not need to have every document before asking for help. In many cases, the first step is simply explaining what you remember, where the encounter happened, whether law enforcement contacted you, and whether you received care at New York Presbyterian Queens or another location connected to Cheng during the relevant period.
Hospitals and medical employers must take reasonable steps to protect patients, especially when patients are sedated, unconscious, isolated, or otherwise unable to protect themselves. Civil claims may examine hiring, supervision, patient-safety procedures, complaint response, staff access controls, chaperone policies, and whether prior warning signs should have led to faster action.
These claims are not limited to what Cheng personally did. They may also focus on whether a facility’s failures gave him access to vulnerable patients or allowed him to keep practicing after concerns should have triggered a meaningful investigation. That distinction is important because institutional accountability can affect both the strength of a civil case and the amount of compensation available to survivors.
Yes. A criminal sentence punishes the offender, but it does not automatically pay survivors for the harm they suffered. A civil lawsuit may still allow a survivor to pursue compensation from Cheng and, when the facts support it, from institutions that failed to protect patients.
Many patients who were sedated, drugged, unconscious, or medically vulnerable may have incomplete memories. That does not mean a claim is impossible. Medical records, witness accounts, law enforcement evidence, hospital documents, and other records may help clarify what happened.
An initial consultation is private. Civil sexual abuse cases may also use privacy protections in appropriate circumstances. A lawyer can explain what information may remain confidential and what steps may help protect your identity during the legal process.
You should ask as soon as you feel ready. Filing deadlines can vary based on the facts, the survivor’s age, where the abuse occurred, and which parties may be responsible. Speaking with a lawyer early also helps preserve records and identify evidence while it is still available.
Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng has already pleaded guilty to committing multiple acts of sexual assault, but that plea was part of a prosecutorial deal that left the majority of his alleged victims without any direct acknowledgment of the unlawful acts Dr. Cheng reportedly perpetrated against them. However, if you experienced abuse by Dr. Cheng, it may still be possible for you to file a civil suit, which could allow you to recover financially for any harm he has unjustly caused you.
A member of the Phillips Law Group personal injury lawyer and sex abuse attorney team can review your legal options and possible next steps during a private initial meeting. Call today to find out about Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng sexual abuse lawsuits and discuss your case.
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