Melbourne Surgeon Faces 500 Charges Over Secret Filming

Download IPFS

A Melbourne-based trainee surgeon accused of secretly recording hundreds of coworkers in hospital restrooms has been granted bail ahead of facing nearly 500 charges, court documents show.

Ryan Cho, 28, is accused of filming over 4,500 intimate videos at three Melbourne hospitals since 2021. Most of the alleged recordings took place in staff restrooms at Austin Hospital, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, and the Royal Melbourne Hospital, according to Victoria state Supreme Court filings cited by The Independent.

Justice James Elliott approved Cho’s bail on the condition that he reside with his parents, who moved from Singapore to Melbourne in preparation for his release. His parents were also required to post a 50,000 Australian dollar surety.

Prosecutors expressed concern that Cho might attempt to flee, noting he has been suspended from his medical duties and has limited ties within Australia. However, the judge cited that Cho had surrendered his passport and had no criminal connections to facilitate escape.

Police allege Cho recorded intimate images of at least 460 women. Court documents show no evidence that the footage was shared. Cho was initially charged with six offenses, but authorities recently added 127 more charges, including intentionally recording intimate images without consent.

Cho was arrested in July after a phone was found actively recording from a mesh bag inside a restroom at Austin Hospital. Investigators believe he also used restrooms at two additional hospitals to capture videos.

His lawyer, Julian McMahon, told the court concerns about potential witness interference were minimal, citing the high number of potential witnesses involved.

Cho moved to Australia in 2017 as a student and completed his medical studies at Monash University. He has not yet entered any plea for the charges he faces.

The case has drawn significant attention due to the scale of the alleged misconduct and its implications for workplace safety and privacy. Authorities have emphasized the seriousness of the offenses and ongoing investigations.

As legal proceedings continue, Cho remains under strict bail conditions and will return to court for future hearings. Hospitals involved have implemented additional privacy measures while reviewing staff protocols to prevent similar incidents.

This case highlights the ongoing challenges in safeguarding personal privacy in professional environments, particularly in healthcare settings where staff and patient safety are paramount.