Hospital sued after employee allegedly recorded 13,000 videos in bathroom

Long Island Hospitals Facing Lawsuits Over Secret Recordings

Several hospitals on Long Island are dealing with a number of lawsuits related to worker misconduct.

Sanjay Shmaprashad, a 47-year-old sleep technician at Northwell, was arrested in April after allegedly filming covert recordings with hidden cameras disguised as smoke detectors in nine different bathrooms at two hospital facilities.

The hospital now faces at least four lawsuits concerning the case, with one filed recently aiming for class action status.

“We are shocked and outraged by the news that patients and clients may have been filmed in the bathrooms of Northwell Health and Star’s rehabilitation center,” said attorney Christopher Dean, who, alongside Benjamin Dell, filed the latest lawsuit.

Dean added, “It’s unacceptable for such a breach of privacy to occur in spaces intended for healing and trust.”

“This violation isn’t just an emotional issue; it undermines the basic expectations of safety and decency. We’re seeking accountability and a concrete assurance that this won’t happen again,” he said.

Shmaprashad worked overnight shifts at the Northwell Sleep Disorder Center in Manhasset from July 2023 to April 2024, taking unauthorized photographs of thousands of patients and colleagues during that time.

So far, Northwell has sent out 13,000 letters to potential victims, but lawyers suspect that the actual number of those affected could climb higher as investigators sift through extensive footage.

The hospital claims it has fully cooperated with law enforcement and requested that victims wait before being notified, pending the progress of a criminal investigation led by Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly’s office. However, attorneys for the victims argue that this silence has only exacerbated the situation.

“They’ve expressed feelings of violation and anxiety about using public restrooms or changing facilities,” said Joel Reubenstein, representing a group of victims in one of the class actions.

When Shmaprashad was arrested, clinicians discovered footage that exposed a man using the toilet, which brought the entire scheme to light.

Prosecutors stated that the alleged recordings were made with cameras disguised as smoke detectors in the bathrooms of the two facilities.

Following his arrest, it’s reported that Shmaprashad attempted to destroy evidence by discarding memory cards and recording devices in a trash can near his Brooklyn residence.