A Long Island cancer specialist is facing criminal charges after Nassau County detectives say a routine office visit turned into a criminal investigation. Dr. Mark Hoffman, 71, was arrested Thursday after a 48-year-old patient accused him of making unwanted sexual contact while the two were alone in an exam room during a spring appointment at an oncology clinic, according to police. Hoffman was taken into custody on March 5 and is charged with second-degree sexual abuse and forcible touching.
Investigators say the encounter happened on May 9, 2025, inside an Optum hematology-oncology office in the New Hyde Park/Lake Success medical corridor. No nurse or chaperone was in the room at the time of the alleged contact, detectives said. Court documents list forcible touching and second-degree sexual abuse among the counts Hoffman now faces. Those details were first released publicly following his arrest, according to Patch.
Hoffman, identified in reports as a Roslyn resident, was taken into custody without incident and was scheduled for arraignment the same day in Nassau County First District Court in Hempstead, officials said. The arrest came roughly ten months after the office visit at the center of the case and followed a probe by the county’s Special Victims Squad. The investigative timeline and court plans were laid out in coverage by LongIsland.com.
Where He Practiced
Police say the alleged incident took place at an Optum Hematology & Oncology office in the Lake Success/New Hyde Park medical complex on Marcus Avenue. Optum’s location page lists the practice at 2800 Marcus Avenue, Suite 200, and identifies the site as providing hematology and oncology services. Local reporting also notes Hoffman’s online biography links him to Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital, based on the clinic’s public listing (Optum).
Legal Implications
The charges against Hoffman fall under Article 130 of the New York Penal Law, which covers sex offenses. Forcible touching is defined in Penal Law §130.52 and sexual abuse in the second degree in §130.60. Under state law, forcible touching is a misdemeanor that can carry up to a year behind bars. Prosecutors, if they move forward, will have to show that any contact was intentional, without a legitimate medical purpose, and done for sexual gratification. The statutes spell out the elements and possible penalties in more detail (New York Penal Law).
Police Appeal
Nassau County detectives have asked anyone who believes they may have been victimized by the doctor to contact Crime Stoppers or the Special Victims Squad. Tipsters can remain anonymous, officials emphasized. Police publicized two numbers for leads: 1-800-244-TIPS and 516-573-4022. That outreach to potential additional victims, along with the hotline information, was included in local coverage by Patch.
Daily Voice reported that it sought comment from Northwell Health but had not received a response at the time of publication. The case remains active in Nassau County court, where upcoming appearances will determine whether prosecutors add charges, pursue a plea, or take the matter to trial.
