QUEENS, NY — The courtroom was silent as Judge Ushir Pandit-Durant delivered a sentence that brought a measure of justice to the dozens of women violated by a trusted medical professional. Dr. Zh Alan Chung, a 34-year-old gastroenterologist, was sentenced to 24 years in state prison on Thursday after being found guilty of a horrific pattern of drugging, raping, and filming his victims. The case, which began with a tip from a brave acquaintance, unraveled a web of betrayal that stretched from Chung's private life to the very hospital where he was meant to care for the sick.
The chilling details of Chung's crimes came to light in December 2022, when police, acting on a tip, raided his home. What they discovered was a veritable chamber of horrors: a trove of digital storage devices filled with illicit videos documenting his assaults. Along with the video evidence, officers seized a cocktail of powerful drugs—LSD, ketamine, fentanyl, and potent surgical anesthetics—that he allegedly used to incapacitate his victims.
According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Chung's victims were not just people he encountered through dating apps. He systematically exploited his position of authority, targeting vulnerable patients at the NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Medical Center. "He preyed on women who trusted him, both in his private life and as a physician," Katz stated, highlighting the dual nature of his crimes. The fact that a doctor, a person sworn to "do no harm," could use his knowledge and resources to inflict such trauma is a stark reminder of the potential for abuse of power.
The investigation revealed that Chung's modus operandi involved injecting his victims with powerful narcotics, rendering them helpless before the assaults. His victims, some of whom met him through dating apps, others who were under his care, awoke with confusion and memory gaps, a common sign of a date-rape drug's effects. One such victim, a 19-year-old woman, came forward to not only press charges against Chung but also to file a civil lawsuit against the hospital. In her lawsuit, she claims she alerted staff to her suspicions, stating Chung had "injected her with a pain-inducing substance" that caused her to black out. She alleges the hospital failed to act, and in doing so, became complicit in his heinous acts. This ongoing lawsuit has put a spotlight on the critical responsibility hospitals have to protect their patients and investigate all complaints of misconduct, no matter how unbelievable they may seem.
Chung, who was stripped of his medical license and fired from the hospital immediately following his arrest, initially pleaded not guilty to the more than 50 counts he faced. However, in a surprising turn, he formally admitted guilt to one count of sexual abuse, a seemingly small concession given the gravity of the charges. His sentence of 24 years sends a clear message that such a flagrant violation of trust and human dignity will be met with severe consequences.
For the survivors, the sentencing is a significant step toward healing. While the physical and emotional scars will likely remain, the fact that Chung will spend decades in prison and be permanently registered as a sex offender provides a crucial sense of closure. As the case closes, it leaves the medical community to grapple with questions of oversight and accountability, ensuring that no one ever has to suffer a betrayal like this again at the hands of a "healer."
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