A pediatrician accused of sexually abusing more than 100 patients will never see the inside of a jail cell despite a historic $1.6 billion judgment against him.
In a shocking culmination to decades of allegations, former Long Island pediatrician Stuart Copperman has been ordered to pay $1.6 billion to over 100 women who accused him of sexual abuse dating back to the 1980s. Despite numerous complaints spanning decades, Copperman was never criminally charged, though he lost his medical license in 2000. This landmark civil judgment became possible only after New York state passed the Child Victims Act in 2019, which allowed survivors to seek justice for past abuse. While the judgment represents validation for the victims, most expect they’ll never see the money from the 89-year-old former doctor, who now lives in Florida.
Justice Delayed: How a Predator Practiced for Decades
Let’s be crystal clear about what happened here: a pediatrician allegedly spent decades sexually abusing children while hiding behind his white coat, and our justice system completely failed these victims until now. Complaints against Copperman began surfacing in the 1980s, yet somehow this man continued practicing medicine until 2000. Think about that – potentially two decades of abuse that could have been prevented if authorities had taken the initial allegations seriously. And even after losing his license, he faced zero criminal consequences. This isn’t justice; it’s a complete breakdown of the system that was supposed to protect these children.
The worst part? The only reason these victims have any recognition today is because New York state finally passed the Child Victims Act in 2019, extending the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases. It shouldn’t take special legislation for victims to be heard. This case exposes the gaping holes in our legal system that allow predators to escape accountability. Meanwhile, how many other abusers are out there, protected by statutes of limitations that prioritize the comfort of perpetrators over justice for victims?
A court has awarded $1.6 billion to 104 women who alleged sexual abuse by former pediatrician, in what experts say is one of the largest judgments of its type in U.S. history.
Read the full story here: https://t.co/OhpMgB5V7A . (Photo credit: https://t.co/PY2XkTx9B2 Rich) pic.twitter.com/ZBNPjOMVR8
— Newsday (@Newsday) April 1, 2025
A Hollow Victory: $1.6 Billion That May Never Be Paid
Now let’s talk about this astronomical judgment – $1.6 billion sounds impressive until you realize it’s about as meaningful as Monopoly money. Copperman, now 89 and living comfortably in South Florida, didn’t even bother to respond to the litigation. Why would he? At his age, with whatever assets he’s managed to hide or spend over the decades, these women will likely never see more than pennies on the dollar, if anything at all. The lawyers have hired collection specialists, but even they admit the chances of substantial recovery are slim to none.
“I’m not sure if he’s facing justice. He kind of got away with it for all these years. But to have a court say, definitively, ‘I believe you.’ To hear that — that’s heavy medicine right there.” – Rev. Debbi Rhodes
This is the twisted reality we’re living in – where acknowledging that abuse happened is considered a victory because actual justice is so rare. The awards ranged from $500,000 to $32 million per victim, with Reverend Debbi Rhodes receiving $25 million. But what good is a judgment that can’t be collected? It’s like giving someone a check with no funds in the account – it might make you feel better for a moment, but it doesn’t pay the bills or undo the damage. It certainly doesn’t compensate for lifetimes of anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma.
Starting in the 1980s, New York law enforcement and health officials fielded sexual abuse complaints from the young patients of a respected pediatrician who ran his practice out of a basement office in his home on Long Island.https://t.co/lyOJdhpVWu
— CBS Philadelphia (@CBSPhiladelphia) April 10, 2025
The System That Protects Predators
Here’s the infuriating part – the victims also sued local hospitals and health networks that enabled Copperman’s continued practice despite complaints, but those claims were dismissed. Of course they were! Heaven forbid the institutions with deep pockets and insurance policies actually have to pay for their negligence. Instead, we’ll pin everything on the 89-year-old who will likely take whatever money he has left to his grave. Meanwhile, the systemic failures that allow predators to operate for decades go unpunished and unreformed.
“For decades, these women were silenced and dismissed. Now, they cannot be ignored.” – Kristen Gibbons Feden
They can’t be ignored, but they can certainly be denied actual compensation! And let’s not forget that Copperman still denies everything, claiming he was just being “thorough” in his examinations. This is the classic defense of medical predators, hiding behind professional authority while violating the most sacred trust between doctor and patient. And our justice system let him get away with it for his entire career. The statute of limitations protected him from criminal charges, and now his age and asset protection will likely shield him from financial consequences too.
This case perfectly exemplifies how our legal system fails victims of abuse while protecting the powerful. It took special legislation just to get these women a symbolic victory, while the actual perpetrator lives out his golden years in Florida sunshine. If this is what passes for justice in America today, we need to seriously reconsider our priorities. These brave women deserved better then, and they deserve better now – not just validation but actual, meaningful consequences for the man who stole their innocence and the institutions that enabled him.
