A former neurologist is accused of sexually abusing seven women patients in New Jersey and New York. He is currently facing 15 counts of sexual assault charges, including eight counts of second-degree assault and seven counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. Last month Ricardo Cruciani was additionally charged with rape, sexual assault and criminal sex acts in New York City.

Ricardo Cruciani, 63, sexually assaulted his patients over two years from 2104-2016 while he was employed as a chief neuroscientist at a health facility in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. He was also the chairman of the neurological department at Drexel University. When women started accusing him, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and was sentenced to probation. He was also registered as a sex offender and surrendered his medical license. 

Cruciani was previously charged with sexual misconduct in Pennsylvania. At least 17 women from different states accused him of groping them. However, Capital Health’s Institute of Neurosciences in Hopewell conducted an investigation and found no evidence of complaints of sexual misconduct against Cruciani. 

One of the victims told the news agency that they had no alternative but to continue seeing the neurologist as he was the one specialized in rare, complicated syndromes that produce debilitating pain. Another woman said that she looked at Cruciani as the only hope to get better and he definitely took advantage of their pain.