Columbia University has reached a $165 million (more than 169 million euro) settlement with 147 people who said they were sexually assaulted by a former gynecologist. In total, there are more than 230 former patients of Robert Hadden, who was previously convicted of sexual misconduct.
The latest settlement follows another $71.5 million deal with 79 other patients from Hadden, who has been at the university hospital for nearly 20 years.
Hadden has not worked at the teaching hospital since 2012, according to Columbia. In another lawsuit, he was accused of seducing and abusing women from various US states in his office between 1993 and 2012. In 2016, a former gynecologist pleaded guilty to another abuse case. Despite his conviction, he did not have to go to prison.
In September, a similar settlement was reached by the University of Michigan. That was a $490 million settlement.
The prestigious New York university says it is setting up a fund to distribute settlement funds. “We deeply regret the pain that Robert Hadden’s patients have experienced,” Columbia said. “All those who have come forward with this are worthy of praise.”
In September, a similar settlement was reached by the University of Michigan. Then it relates to the settlement of $490 million (more than 503 million euros) for more than 1,000 people who said they were victims of a former sports doctor.
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