Columbia University Pays $750 Million in Historic Sex Abuse Settlement With Dr. Robert Hadden Victims

Columbia University is facing the financial fallout of decades-long abuse after agreeing to a $750 million settlement with nearly 600 victims of former gynecologist Dr. Robert Hadden, a convicted sex offender. The settlement, approved Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court, averages about $1.3 million per victim and brings the total payouts related to Hadden's crimes to over $1 billion.

Laurie Maldonando, one of Hadden’s many victims, cut right to the chase: "This settlement is not about money — it's about accountability." After suffering nearly a decade under Hadden's care, she said, "Columbia University enabled sadistic abuse, and now, they’ve been forced to face the truth." It's hard not to notice how expensive the truth can get for big institutions when they ignore red flags.

Dr. Hadden, once a respected gynecologist at some of New York’s top hospitals, including those affiliated with Columbia and New York-Presbyterian, was sentenced in 2023 to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing hundreds of patients. Attorney Anthony T. DiPietro, representing hundreds of survivors since 2012, revealed that Columbia’s leadership knew about Hadden’s behavior as far back as 1995, thanks to a "smoking gun" letter unearthed in a Utah basement—because apparently, institutional secrets travel well.

Columbia’s spokesperson expressed "deep regret" for the pain caused and called the settlement a step forward in supporting survivors, also highlighting new safety policies and an external investigation. However, DiPietro had previously called the university's $100 million victim fund "woefully inadequate." Clearly, it takes more than a PR statement and a check to erase years of institutional neglect.

The settlement is being hailed as a warning shot to other institutions: cover up abuse, and you’ll pay—big time. DiPietro, who is also representing hundreds of alleged victims against another physician, Darius Paduch, said, "Hospitals cannot be allowed to cover up misconduct that harms patients—especially when it involves predatory physicians hiding behind their medical licenses to exploit and abuse."