Indian‑Origin Doctor Sentenced to Jail After Secretly Recording Women in Ohio Hospital Restrooms

When a hospital employee in Toledo, Ohio, opened a box in a unisex restroom and found a tiny cellphone tucked inside, no one could have guessed the nightmare that would follow. The phone belonged to Advait Deshmukh, a third‑year urology resident of Indian origin, who had been quietly using it to record unsuspecting women while they used the facilities.

Police recovered the device in June 2025, and a joint investigation by ProMedica and the Toledo Police pulled out a shocking cache of 82 images taken between February and May of that year. Six women – all hospital staff – were identified as victims, though authorities suspect the offending may have begun as early as 2018, potentially involving more hidden recordings.

Deshmukh was charged with one count of attempted tampering with evidence and seven counts of voyeurism. At a hearing in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, he pleaded guilty, apologized to the women, and his lawyer asked for leniency, pointing to ongoing therapy. The judge was firm: six months in jail, three years of probation, a 15‑year registration as a sex offender, mandatory attendance at Sexaholics Anonymous, and continuous mental‑health treatment.

One of the victims, who asked to be called Lindsay, described the experience as “traumatizing” and said she now checks every public restroom for hidden cameras. “Not knowing what was done with the photos is enough to keep me up at night,” she told the court, echoing a fear shared by many who fall prey to such violations.

The University of Toledo acted quickly once the phone was discovered, putting Deshmukh on administrative leave and ultimately ending his residency after an internal review. He has indicated plans to move to Franklin County, but the court made clear the restrictions will travel with him.

Cases like this raise uncomfortable questions about privacy and security in places where people expect safety. Hospitals across the country are being urged to tighten surveillance policies and educate staff about the signs of covert recording devices.

While Deshmukh now serves his sentence, the ripple effect of his actions lingers in the lives of the women he filmed and in the broader conversation about safeguarding personal dignity in public spaces.