Top Rutgers Cancer Surgeon Charged With Filming Women In Bathroom

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — One of the top cancer surgeons at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has been charged with secretly photographing more than two dozen women as they used the bathroom at Robert Wood Johnson University hospital.

Dr. James Goydos, 58, who lives in East Brunswick, was charged in a 160-count indictment, the Middlesex County prosecutor's office announced Wednesday.

The alleged videotaping spanned over a two-year period, from April 2016 through March 2018, with multiple victims, the prosecutor said.

A copy of that indictment was obtained by Patch: It alleged that Dr. Goydos set up the cameras inside a bathroom at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and recorded the women. Prosecutors did not specify whether photos or video were taken of the women, or possibly both.

But more than 26 women were captured on camera, according to the indictment. The women are identified in the legal document as "Jane Doe 1-26." The women were recorded in various states of undress in the bathroom.

That's not all: Dr. Goydos was also charged with dozens of other charges, including computer theft and burglary. Prosecutors say he broke into the offices of four of his colleagues at the Cancer Institute and hacked into their computers. He stole personal information from them, and later tried to impersonate them, prosecutors say.

It was all part of an elaborate scheme to defraud the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, prosecutors said in the indictment, but did not elaborate. In fact, it was Rutgers University that first uncovered his alleged nefarious activities, and reported Goydos to the county prosecutor last year, the school said. He's also been charged with official misconduct and invasion of privacy.

A leader in the field of cancer research

Goydos used to be one of the most highly regarded physicians on staff at Rutgers. The school sought to stress Thursday that none of his actions involved his work in cancer research and treatment, which is regarded as ground-breaking.

"None of Dr. Goydos’ alleged actions were related to patient care," said Rutgers spokeswoman Dory Devlin.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is the main trauma center for all of Central New Jersey. Not only are thousands of patients seen there daily, the hospital also houses the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, one of the leading cancer treatment centers in America, particularly in the treatment of melanoma.

Dr. Goydos not only ran the melanoma treatment program, he was also one of the Cancer Institute' founding faculty members. Before he was arrested, Goydos was the Chief of Melanoma and Soft Tissue Oncology, according to his Rutgers biography, which has since been taken down by the school. In 1995, Dr. Goydos led the first clinical melanoma trial in the state of New Jersey.

People with melanoma come from all over the United States, seeking treatment from Dr. Goydos and his team. Some of his work in the field is currently being developed into tumor-fighting cancer drugs to treat skin cancer, breast and prostate cancer. You can hear him lecturing on his research below.

Police have been investigating Dr. Goydos for more than a year

The Middlesex County prosecutor has been investigating Dr. Goydos for some time now, since they were first alerted by the state university.

As Patch reported at the time, the prosecutor executed a search warrant at his East Brunswick home on March 30 of last year. Police said that after combing through his house that day, they found an unlicensed gun in his basement, as well as wiretapping materials and illegal, hunting-caliber slingshots.

The gun was a Colt Sporter Match HBAR. A semi automatic and with a detachable magazine, it's classified as an assault rifle under New Jersey law's strict gun laws. At the time, Goydos said the gun was a gift from his brother, given to him decades ago, and it was kept inside a bag in a work space in the basement. The bag was kept locked in a shelf.

He was charged at the time with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. Police say they also found wiretapping materials in Goydos' home during that raid, such as a Sony digital voice recorder and a USB drive recorder, which you can use to surreptitiously record someone talking.

They also said they found two hunting-grade slingshots in his home, "Black Tribal in the Field," and "Wisdoman," both of which are considered prohibited weapons in the state of New Jersey.

Dr. Goydos was first placed on paid leave after he was arrested for the gun charge last year, a Rutgers spokeswoman said. He was paid a salary of $437,500 a year working for Rutgers.

Goydos has since been fired from both the school and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. He was banned from ever returning to campus, the school said.

"When the university discovered Dr. Goydos’ activities we immediately referred the matter to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and cooperated fully with their investigation leading to the recent indictments," said Devlin, the Rutgers spokeswoman. "Dr. Goydos was initially banned from the university and subsequently resigned."

"None of Dr. Goydos’ alleged actions were related to patient care activity," she added. "We applaud the prosecutor’s efforts to deal with this matter in a comprehensive and thorough fashion and will continue to cooperate with the prosecutor as this matter unfolds."

He is scheduled to appear in New Brunswick superior court for his arraignment on March 18.