Ex-U.N. Employee Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting, Drugging Women

WEST ORANGE, NJ - An ex-communications specialist with the United Nations in Iraq who resides in New Jersey was sentenced Thursday for drugging 20 women and sexually assaulting at least 13 of them over two decades.

Karim Elkorany, 39, of West Orange, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in May to sexually assaulting an internationally protected person and making false statements to cover up another sexual assault, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in a statement.

Elkorany was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay fines that are still to be determined.

“Karim Elkorany perpetrated monstrous acts against multiple women over nearly two decades,” Williams said. “At today’s proceeding, Elkorany was held accountable by the Court and also by his victims, a number of whom confronted him with powerful statements about the grievous harm he caused through his horrific conduct. We express deep gratitude to all of the victims for their bravery in coming forward and remain committed to doing all we can to bring perpetrators like Elkorany to justice.”

From about 2005 to 2018, Elkorany held positions ranging from U.N. communications to UNICEF, according to court records. Around November 2016, Elkorany drugged and sexually assaulted a woman in Iraq where he was stationed while working for the UN, court documents say, adding that he sexually assaulted the victim while she was unconscious.

“Elkorany also engaged in a pattern of similar conduct involving many other women,” Williams said.

After the victim reported the assault to the U.N., an investigation ensued, which included a voluntary interview of Elkorany outside his New Jersey residence, to which Elkorany reported that drugging and sexual assault never happened.

At least one of his other victims was a contractor for a U.N. organization in the United States and Iraq, among other locations, on multiple occasions, court documents said.

Elkorany is being lodged at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York, according to prison records.