Dr. Amir Sitafalwalla Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Help Law Group advocates for patients harmed by Dr. Amir Sitafalwalla during urgent care visits at ModernMD in Woodhaven, Queens, New York.

In October 2025, Sitafalwalla pleaded guilty to five counts of forcible touching and one count of third-degree sexual abuse involving five separate patients. On January 8, 2026, a Queens County judge sentenced him to six years of probation, ordered him to register as a Level 2 sex offender, and required the permanent surrender of his medical license. 

Prosecutors noted at sentencing that the abuse dated back to at least 2017. Two victims addressed him directly in court.

Investigators have confirmed publicly that they believe more patients were harmed than those identified in the criminal case. Civil lawsuits are active against Sitafalwalla and the ModernMD corporate entities connected to the Woodhaven facility. 

In October 2025, Sitafalwalla entered a guilty plea in Queens County Criminal Court to the following charges:

• Five counts of forcible touching involving four separate patients

• One count of third-degree sexual abuse involving a fifth patient

One of the five victims was 17 years old at the time of the abuse. The criminal case covered conduct at ModernMD Urgent Care in Woodhaven, Queens.

At sentencing on January 8, 2026, two victims addressed Sitafalwalla directly in court. One described the abuse as an enraging betrayal by someone he had trusted for medical care, stating it had permanently changed him. Another victim's written statement, read aloud by attorneys, described the lasting damage caused by the abuse.

Attorneys for two of the five victims expressed disappointment that the district attorney did not seek a custodial sentence, stating their clients had been irreparably harmed and would have preferred to see jail time imposed.

The criminal case and civil filings raise a specific question about institutional accountability: how did Sitafalwalla remain in patient-facing roles for years after abuse complaints had been raised?

The documented history is as follows:

• 2017 or earlier: Abuse of patients allegedly begins, per prosecutors' statements at sentencing.

• March 2021: CityMD Bayside receives a complaint of sexual abuse involving Sitafalwalla.

• April 2021: CityMD terminates Sitafalwalla following an internal investigation into abuse allegations.

• May 2021: Sitafalwalla is notified he is under investigation by the New York State Department of Health Office of Professional Medical Conduct.

• 2021: Despite his termination and an active Health Department investigation, ModernMD Woodhaven hires Sitafalwalla. Civil filings allege ModernMD failed to conduct adequate background checks that would have surfaced his history.

• January 27, 2023: A patient is sexually abused at ModernMD. Sitafalwalla is arrested in March 2023 and charged with forcible touching and sexual abuse. He is released without bail.

• Post-arrest: ModernMD takes no action. Sitafalwalla continues seeing patients.

• August 14, 2024: Another patient is sexually abused at ModernMD. Sitafalwalla is arrested again on September 9, 2024.

• April 2025: The Department of Health suspends his license, describing his conduct as an imminent danger to the public.

• October 2025: He pleads guilty to six counts covering five victims.

Civil complaints allege that other staff at ModernMD observed or should have observed warning signs, and that ModernMD's failure to investigate after the March 2023 arrest enabled additional patients to be harmed.

ModernMD Urgent Care — Woodhaven 

Located at 89-22 Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven, Queens, this is the primary facility where the abuse covered by the criminal conviction occurred. Sitafalwalla worked here from 2021 until his license was suspended in April 2025.

Modern MD Management Services, LLC 

Named as a defendant in civil filings as a corporate entity connected to the operation and management of the ModernMD Urgent Care facility.

ModernMD Urgent Care — Woodhaven, PLLC 

Also named in civil complaints as a separate legal entity tied to the facility's operation.

CityMD Bayside 

Sitafalwalla was terminated from this location in April 2021 following patient complaints of sexual abuse. He was not at CityMD when the abuse covered by the criminal conviction occurred, but his history there is central to civil claims against ModernMD for failing to investigate before bringing him on staff.

The five victims identified in the criminal case represent those whose allegations were charged and admitted in the guilty plea. Public reporting and civil filings describe a broader set of concerns.

Prosecutors stated at sentencing that the abuse dated back to at least 2017, years before the incidents covered by the criminal charges. The New York State Department of Health investigation described a nearly decade-long history of sexually abusing patients.

Civil complaints describe Sitafalwalla's conduct during examinations as deliberate and calculated:

• He primarily targeted young male patients, many of them Hispanic

• Abuse occurred while patients were alone with him in closed examination rooms

• Genital examinations were performed without medical necessity

• He made sexually inappropriate comments during the abuse

• He used the authority of the physician-patient relationship to make patients comply with instructions that enabled the conduct

Prosecutors have publicly stated they believe more victims exist. 

Any person who was examined by Sitafalwalla at ModernMD Woodhaven or CityMD Bayside and experienced inappropriate touching, unnecessary genital examination, or sexual comments is encouraged to seek a confidential review.

When a doctor uses an exam room to sexually abuse a patient, the harm does not end when the appointment does. Patients are conditioned to trust physicians, follow instructions, and accept that physical contact during an exam is clinical and necessary. 

That conditioning is what makes this kind of abuse so hard to name, in the moment and for a long time after. Survivors commonly describe:

• Confusion about whether what happened was part of a normal exam

• Difficulty returning to medical care or trusting healthcare providers

• Shame or self-blame, particularly for male survivors who may struggle with stigma

• Delayed recognition that what occurred was abuse, sometimes triggered by news coverage or learning others had similar experiences

• Significant effects on personal relationships and sense of safety

One victim's attorney stated in court that his clients were now wary of seeing medical professionals for treatment, describing it as part of the lasting damage caused by the abuse.

These reactions are common. They do not reflect weakness or inaction. Physician sexual abuse is specifically designed to be confusing in the moment, and the barriers to reporting it are real and well-documented.

The criminal conviction established Sitafalwalla's guilt for his conduct with five identified patients. Civil claims are separate proceedings that allow survivors to seek compensation and to hold institutions responsible, not only individuals.

Claims Against Sitafalwalla 

Former patients may file civil claims directly against Sitafalwalla for the harm caused during examinations. A criminal conviction does not prevent civil litigation, and it creates a substantial evidentiary record that can support civil claims.

Claims Against ModernMD 

Civil complaints already filed allege that ModernMD Urgent Care and its related corporate entities failed to:

• Conduct adequate background checks before hiring Sitafalwalla, despite his termination from CityMD for abuse complaints and an active Health Department investigation

• Take any action against Sitafalwalla after his March 2023 arrest, allowing additional patients to be harmed

• Supervise or monitor his conduct with patients in closed examination rooms

• Respond to warning signs visible to other staff at the facility

New York Statute of Limitations 

New York law governing adult civil sexual abuse claims generally requires filing within three years of the date of the abuse. Survivors who are uncertain whether their window remains open should seek a confidential case review promptly.

For abuse involving the minor victim, extended timelines under New York's Child Victims Act may apply. A legal review can assess the applicable deadline based on the specific facts.

Dr. Sitafalwalla practiced for years in a setting where his conduct went unchecked by the facilities that employed him. He was terminated from one urgent care after abuse complaints and hired by another without adequate investigation. 

After his first arrest, he continued treating patients. Those were institutional decisions with documented consequences for the patients who came after.

Help Law Group advocates for patients harmed during medical visits at ModernMD Woodhaven and CityMD Bayside. Our team provides guidance on potential civil claims, identifies which entities may share legal responsibility, and works at a pace that respects where each survivor is in this process.

A case review can address:

• Whether your visit falls within the relevant period and location connected to Sitafalwalla's documented abuse history

• How New York's civil statute of limitations applies to your specific situation

• Whether claims against ModernMD and its corporate entities are available alongside claims against Sitafalwalla directly

• What documentation may exist, including medical records, billing records, and facility staffing logs

• What the process looks like if you decide to move forward, with no obligation to decide immediately

A review is private. Contacting our team does not notify ModernMD, CityMD, any licensing body, or any court.