NYC Pain Doc Abused Patients He First Hooked On Drugs, Feds Say

NEW YORK CITY — A chronic pain doctor accused of sexually abusing patients he first made dependent on highly addictive drugs was arrested Wednesday on federal charges, prosecutors announced.

Ricardo Cruciani, a neurologist formerly associated with Beth Israel Medical Center, stands accused of sexually abusing five patients over the course of 15 years, according to the indictment.

"Cruciani exploited and leveraged his position of trust as a healthcare provider, the significant pain suffered by the victims, and his ability to prescribe or withhold pain medication," the indictment reads.

Cruciani,63, allegedly prescribed patients massive doses of highly addictive opioids then threatened to cut off the supply if they demanded the sex abuse stop, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors also allege he refused to hand over the medical records of patients who tried to leave, the indictment shows.

One former patient, currently suing Cruciani in Manhattan's civil court, told the New York Times Cruciani prescribed for her chronic migraines more than 1,300 pills for month.

Another former patient brought a semen-stained shirt to the NYPD, but police refused to pursue the case and classified her as "uncooperative," the Times reported.

The civil suit, which represents 12 former patients, also accuses Beth Israel staff of ignoring reports of Cruciani's inappropriate conduct behind closed doors, court records show.

Cruciani faces criminal charges and 22 civil suits in the three states — New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — where he maintained offices, attorney Jeffrey Fritz told the Daily Mail.

"All of the checks failed these women," Fritz reportedly said. "The hospitals failed these women every step of the way."

This is not the first time Cruciani has been summoned to a court room to address allegations of misconduct.

Cruciani pleaded guilty in 2016 to assaulting seven patients while he served as Drexel University's neurology department chair, court records show.

The Pennsylvania plea deal sentenced Cruciani to seven years' probation and mandated he register as a sex offender.

The neurologist was charged in Manhattan Criminal Court on 16 felony charges that include rape, sex abuse and predatory sexual assault in 2018, courts show.

Cruciani was released on a $1 million bail and his case is pending, according to court records.

The medico now faces an additional five federal charges, including enticing and inducing individuals to travel interstate to engage in illegal sexual activity, each of which carries a maximum 20-year sentence, prosecutors said.

“Doctors like the defendant take an oath to do no harm," said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.

"It is difficult to imagine conduct more anathema to that oath than exploiting patients’ vulnerability in order to sexually abuse them."

The U.S. Attorney's office asks New Yorkers who believe they may have been victimized by Cruciani to call (646) 372-0364.