A New York City urologist was handed a life sentence Wednesday after previously being convicted of the yearslong sexual abuse of patients, some of whom were minors.
Darius Paduch, 57, of North Bergen, New Jersey, worked as a urologist at two prominent New York medical institutions. He was convicted in May of six counts of inducing a person to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and five counts of inducing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
Paduch worked as a urologist in New York City from 2003 through 2023 with a specialization in male infertility and male reproductive health.
He enticed and induced multiple victims to travel to his practicing office in Manhattan from at least 2007 to 2019, where he would sexually abuse them, the the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said in a news release.
Paduch would also persuade victims to visit other locations in New Jersey to commit sexual abuse, and he continued doing so when he moved his practice to a Long Island hospital in 2019, according to federal prosecutors.
Prosecutors said that during medical appointments, Paduch would masturbate patients, expose himself to them, grope them, and exchange texts and emails — including with minors — in which he made inappropriate and sexual comments.
In one instance, prosecutors said, Paduch invited a patient onto his boat, where he provided the patient with sedatives and masturbated them.
Paduch used his position to make or attempt to make victims believe that the sexual abuse he was inflicting was medically necessary when, in fact, it was not, prosecutors said. He would often direct victims to make follow-up appointments, leading to years of abuse for some, according prosecutors.
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, called Paduch’s actions “perverse and pervasive.”
“Darius Paduch was a sexual predator who preyed on patients seeking treatment for sensitive medical issues,” Williams said in a statement. “He used his position as a renowned urologist at prestigious hospitals to sexually assault vulnerable patients, including children, to gratify his own sexual desires.”
Paduch was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.
Paduch’s attorney, Michael Baldassare, said in a statement reported by the Associated Press that he would file an appeal in the coming days.
“Doctor Paduch maintains his innocence and we are confident that someday he will be vindicated,” Baldassare said.
The attorney had not responded to an emailed request comment from NBC News sent overnight at the time of publication.
If you are a child being abused, or know a child who may be facing abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 422-4453, or go to www.childhelphotline.org. States often have child abuse hotlines, but if you suspect a child’s life is in imminent danger, call 911.