The founder of a LGBTQ+ therapy practice in Manhattan is facing sexual abuse and rape charges after he allegedly sexually assaulted two of his patients.<\/p>\n
The therapist, who the Manhattan District Attorney\u2019s office identified as Joseph LoGiudice, is accused of sexually assaulting the victims on multiple occasions between November 2022 and January 2026.<\/p>\n
Manhattan authorities on Thursday charged LoGiudice with ten counts of criminal sexual act, 13 counts of sexual abuse and one count of rape.<\/p>\n
LoGiudice also serves as the practice\u2019s clinical director and would sometimes head the gay men\u2019s therapy group, according to the DA\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
LoGiudice allegedly began engaging in sexual misconduct with the first victim after he joined a group therapy session in 2022, then later sexually assaulting the patient in his office.<\/p>\n
Authorities said the second victim had also attended the group therapy sessions in 2022, where LoGiudice had made inappropriate sexual comments.<\/p>\n
The therapist then allegedly assaulted the patient after a group therapy session two years later, and also sent the patient multiple sexual messages on Instagram before assaulting him a second time in January of this year, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n
Both of the alleged victims left the practice afterwards.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile expressly described as an LGBTQ-centered practice, we allege that LoGiudice abused the trust placed in him as a therapist to sexually assault members of the LGBTQ community he serves,\u201d Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg said in a statement on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He is the second therapist at Liberation Psychotherapy to be accused of sexually abusing a patient.<\/p>\n