A federal judge in Manhattan sentenced former urologist Darius Paduch to life in prison in November 2024. A jury had convicted him earlier that year of federal sex crimes involving his patients, including minors. His appeal is pending.
The conviction and sentence
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, a jury found Paduch guilty on May 8, 2024, after a two-week trial. He was convicted 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.
On November 20, 2024, U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams sentenced him to life in prison. The office said the amount of restitution would be decided later.
Court records show that Paduch has appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The conviction stands while the appeal is pending, but an appeals court can affirm, reverse or send a case back.
What prosecutors described
Prosecutors said Paduch abused patients from about 2007 to 2019 while working at a medical institution in Manhattan, and then at a second institution on Long Island starting in 2019. The Justice Department’s releases do not name the institutions, and neither do we.
According to the government, Paduch used medical visits as cover for sexual abuse, and some of his patients were minors. Prosecutors said he invited at least two minor patients to serve as high school interns. Eleven victims testified at trial, and dozens more submitted statements to the court before sentencing.
We describe these events in general terms on purpose. The details are in the public record for anyone who needs them.
Criminal cases and civil claims are different
A criminal case like this one is brought by the government. Its goal is punishment and public safety. A conviction requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
A civil lawsuit is brought by a survivor. It seeks money for the harm done and can name others, such as a hospital or practice, based on what they knew or should have done. A civil case uses a lower standard of proof. It can go forward even when there is no criminal charge.
Some key terms:
- Charge or indictment: a formal accusation. It is not proof of guilt.
- Conviction: a finding of guilt by a jury or judge, or a guilty plea.
- Appeal: a request for a higher court to review the case for legal errors.
- Restitution: money a court orders a convicted person to pay victims for certain losses.
Questions this case raises for patients
Cases like this one often lead to questions about how a doctor was supervised over many years and at more than one employer. Hospitals must review a doctor’s qualifications before granting privileges. State medical boards can investigate complaints and take action against a license. The Federation of State Medical Boards has urged boards to treat sexual misconduct seriously and to make board actions public.
You can read more about chaperones, credentialing and license lookups on our doctor sexual abuse page. Our sexual assault and abuse overview explains the wider legal landscape.
What this means for survivors
If you were a patient and something about your care felt wrong, your concerns deserve to be taken seriously. Deadlines for civil claims vary by state and by your age at the time, and some states have special rules for abuse of minors. A lawyer can look at the specifics and explain your options.
This article is general information about how these cases work. It is not legal advice, it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and no two claims are alike. If something here sounds like your situation, the useful next step is a conversation about the facts.
