NY Attorney General Investigates Columbia University Over Predatory Doctor Cover-Up

Columbia University Under Investigation for Handling of Doctor’s Sexual Abuse Claims

New York Attorney General Letitia James is investigating Columbia University’s response to decades of warnings regarding the misconduct of former OB-GYN Robert Hadden, who was convicted of sexually abusing patients in 2023 and is currently serving a 20-year sentence. The investigation centers on how the university allowed Hadden to continue seeing patients despite repeated concerns about his behavior.

“The Office of the Attorney General is conducting a thorough investigation into the institutional response to Robert Hadden’s misconduct,” a spokesperson stated to ProPublica. The office did not provide further details regarding the scope or timeline of the inquiry.

A ProPublica investigation published in the fall of 2023 revealed a pattern of Columbia officials ignoring warnings about Hadden and ultimately protecting him. The reporting detailed an instance in 2012 where Columbia permitted Hadden to continue practicing just days after a patient called 911 to report a sexual assault.

The university has already paid out over $1 billion in settlements for more than 1,000 claims of sexual abuse. Following the ProPublica investigation, Columbia committed to reforms including improved patient safety measures, a $100 million fund for victims, and an independent investigation into the matter.

However, advocates, students, and survivors argue that Columbia’s response has been insufficient. Four hundred Columbia medical students recently sent a letter to university officials demanding disciplinary reviews for administrators who allegedly failed to act on warnings concerning Hadden’s conduct.

Unlike other universities that have faced similar situations involving abusive doctors, no high-ranking administrators at Columbia have been disciplined or lost their jobs. Dr. Mary D’Alton, who received a letter authorizing Hadden’s return to work, remains the chair of the obstetrics and gynecology department. Dr. D’Alton did not respond to a request for comment.

Columbia University declined to comment on the Attorney General’s investigation.

The Attorney General’s office possesses significant authority over New York nonprofits, including Columbia. In recent years, the office successfully forced the shutdown of the Trump Foundation and secured a series of reforms from the National Rifle Association following legal action.

Survivors of Hadden’s abuse expressed relief at the news of the investigation. Evelyn Yang, one of at least eight patients assaulted by Hadden after he was allowed to return to work, stated, “Accountability is overdue, particularly in light of the Epstein files,” referencing recent revelations about Columbia affiliates’ ties to financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Yang was seven months pregnant at the time of her assault.

Columbia initially promised a “thorough examination” of the circumstances that allowed Hadden’s abuse to continue following the publication of the ProPublica investigation. However, no report detailing the findings of that examination has been released. The university acknowledged last week that You’ll see “many questions” surrounding the timing of the investigation and stated that the report is expected “soon.”

New York State Assemblymember Grace Lee criticized the university’s delay in releasing the report, stating that Columbia has not taken responsibility for its role in the situation. “To me, it’s just outrageous that we are here now in 2026 and we still have no report and no one has been held accountable,” she said.

By comparison, an external investigation into the University of Michigan’s response to the crimes committed by former physician Robert Anderson took approximately 15 months to complete.

Marissa Hoechstetter, another survivor of Hadden’s abuse, said the Attorney General’s investigation provides some comfort, as the institution has repeatedly failed to hold itself accountable. “I do believe institutional accountability is a missing part of making a bigger change in the fight of gender-based violence,” Hoechstetter said. “I don’t know what will come of this investigation…but it shows that institutions that protect and cover up abusers in order to protect their own people and reputation will be held accountable.”

Hoechstetter and Yang both advocated for the passage of the Adult Survivors Act, a New York State law that temporarily opened a window for survivors of sexual assault to file civil suits.

Columbia failed to notify Hadden’s former patients of his misconduct for years. It wasn’t until November 2023, shortly before the extended window provided by the Adult Survivors Act closed, that Columbia announced it would send letters to almost 6,500 patients.

A closed-door town hall meeting at the medical school in January revealed that the decision to delay notification was made at the Board of Trustee level due to concerns about potential litigation costs, according to a recording obtained by ProPublica. Vice Dean for Medical Education Monica Lypson reportedly stated that the decision was based on the potential cost of lawsuits. Lypson did not respond to a request for comment.

The deadline to submit a claim to Columbia’s survivors’ settlement fund has been extended to April 15.