Columbia to Pay $750 Million in Sexual Abuse Case Involving Ex-Gynecologist Robert Hadden

Columbia University has agreed to pay $750 million to hundreds of women who were sexually abused by former gynecologist Robert Hadden.

This brings the total payout in civil cases involving Hadden to over $1 billion, making it one of the biggest sexual abuse-related settlements in US history.

What’s the Case

Robert Hadden, an OB-GYN who is now 66, worked at prestigious hospitals in New York City for decades. And for decades, complaints kept coming in, but he continued seeing patients.

He was finally convicted by a federal jury in 2023 and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, a case that went to federal court because some patients had traveled from other states to see him at his New York office.

At least nine women testified during his criminal trial, describing how they were assaulted during routine gynecology visits. The earliest incidents trace back to the late 1980s. By 2012, more women began coming forward, and in 2014 and 2016, there were multiple complaints. Yet, instead of facing criminal action, Hadden was allowed to quietly surrender his medical license—and walk free.

It wasn’t until 2017, during the height of the #MeToo movement, that the silence finally broke. Many survivors began speaking publicly, and the case gained public attention.

Columbia's Role in All This

The institutions that let this continue for years—Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital—are now facing serious heat.

Anthony DiPietro, the lead attorney for the survivors, has said:

What the Settlements Look Like

Back in November 2023, Columbia University and its medical center had contacted around 6,500 former patients to inform them about Hadden’s federal conviction. They also opened a $100 million compensation fund for victims to apply to, with the deadline later extended to May 15.

Now, after more survivors stepped forward, Columbia has reached a fresh $750 million settlement covering 576 legal cases. DiPietro said the average payout will be around $1.3 million per survivor.

Earlier, Columbia had also agreed to pay $277 million to over 200 women in a separate round of settlements.

The university has said in a statement:

“As previously announced, Columbia is implementing a multi-pronged plan, including an external investigation, a survivors’ settlement fund, and a series of new and updated patient safety policies and programs to address the abuses of Robert Hadden.” 

What the Survivors Said

Laurie Maldonado, one of the earliest victims who had even called 911 after being assaulted, said this settlement is a “bittersweet” moment.

The Associated Press noted it typically withholds the names of sexual abuse victims unless they come forward publicly, as Laurie did.

The accusers also include Evelyn Yang, wife of former US presidential and NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Yang, who said Hadden assaulted her while she was pregnant with their first child.

What’s Next

Columbia has now acknowledged its failure:

“We deeply regret the pain Hadden’s patients have suffered. This settlement is part of our ongoing commitment to repair the harm and support survivors. We commend the survivors for their bravery in coming forward.”

But for many women, the road doesn’t end here. They say this is only the beginning and that real accountability still has not come.

(Input From Various Sources)

(Rehash/Pooja Bansal/MSM)