WEST ORANGE, N.J. (WCBS 880) -- A former communications specialist with the United Nations on Thursday was sentenced to 15 years in prison for drugging and/or sexually assaulting 20 victims, authorities said.
Karim Elkorany, 39, pled guilty on May 24, to sexually assaulting an internationally protected person and making false statements to cover up another sexual assault.
Elkorany also admitted that he drugged and/or sexually assaulted 17 additional victims.
"Karim Elkorany perpetrated monstrous acts against multiple women over nearly two decades," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. "At today’s proceeding, Elkorany was held accountable by the Court and also by his victims, a number of whom confronted him with powerful statements about the grievous harm he caused through his horrific conduct. We express deep gratitude to all of the victims for their bravery in coming forward."
According court filings, Elkorany worked in international aid, development, and/or foreign relations since at least 2005 up to at least in or about April 2018.
From about October 2013 to about April 2016, Elkorany worked for the UN Children’s Fund, commonly known as UNICEF, in Iraq. From about July 2016 up to April 2018, he worked as a Communications Specialist for the UN in Iraq.
In November 2016, Elkorany drugged and sexually assaulted a woman in Iraq, where he was stationed while working for the UN. He drugged the victim and brought her to his apartment. While at his apartment, Elkorany sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious.
On November 3, 2017, special agents with the New York Field Office of the FBI conducted a voluntary interview of Elkorany outside of his West Orange, New Jersey residence where he expressed familiarity with the nature and substance of the allegations made by the victim falsely stated that the drugging and sexual assault she had reported to the UN did not occur.
Elkorany also engaged in a pattern of similar conduct involving many other women. Between 2014 and 2019, Elkorany drugged and sexually assaulted a second woman who was a contractor for a UN organization at relevant times, in the United States and Iraq, among other locations, on multiple occasions.
Additionally, Elkorany drugged and/or sexually assaulted 18 additional victims between 2002 and 2016.
Elkorany was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in amounts to be determined.
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