Exposed: Cover-Up at Columbia University

About This Project

Summary

The six-part podcast from Laura Beil & Wondery, co-reported by ProPublica, embodies reporting that is unafraid to hold powerful institutions accountable to the public, from an Ivy League school to a sclerotic criminal justice system. Exposed unfolds largely chronologically through the voices of the survivors, revealing that even when the scope of Hadden’s crimes was undeniable, Columbia deflected responsibility. The impact of Exposed is still being felt today. https://wondery.com/shows/exposed/

Goals & Objectives

Robert Hadden was a trusted ob-gyn who assaulted hundreds of patients during his 25-year career at Columbia University. But Exposed is not his story. It is the story of the breakdown of a health care system that failed to protect the public, and a DA's office that failed to deliver justice.

Results & Impact

Two months after Exposed's release, Columbia agreed to notify patients, formally apologized for the institution’s role in their trauma and established a settlement fund. Since the release of the podcast and the accompanying story co-reported with ProPublica, more than 700 victims have come forward.