Alleged serial rapist doctor spent 20 years on the run from justice until silly mistake brought him down

An ex-doctor accused of raping a string of women aboard luxury boats has been snared after more than 20 years on the run thanks to a silly mistake.

Ronald Fischer disappeared in 2005 during his trial for an attack on college professor and mom-of-four Cheryl Gingerich.

Fischer, then 47, lured Gingerich aboard his sailboat, the Lion King, under the pretense of asking her to help him clean it during a date before he pushed her on a bed and raped her, according to court testimony reviewed by the Boston Globe.

Former anesthesiologist Fischer was awaiting the verdict when he fled, telling his daughters he was leaving the country. He was ultimately found guilty in absentia but never sentenced as he could not be found.

Investigators who searched his East Greenwich, Rhode Island, home found a trove of documents and plans for switching identities and evading capture.

However, he was finally caught last month hiding in plain sight under the assumed identity of Richard Graydon, a self-styled master sailor at the Liberty Yacht Club in New Jersey.

Investigators believe Fischer's bold attempt to recreate his previous life ultimately led to his arrest after he obtained a prominent position with pharmaceutical company Immix Biopharma.

Immix published a photo touting him as their new chief medical officer, which prompted an FBI tip off.

The agency alerted local law enforcement and officers intercepted him aboard his $1.4 million custom-built boat the Silver Lining, under the guise of a routine stop by the Coast Guard.

Now aged 70, Fischer appeared in court last week without an attorney where a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf regarding a bail-jumping charge, the Boston Globe reports.

He was remanded in custody after being deemed a flight risk. 

'I was happy to think when I woke up, I thought, I slept last night in my bed and Ronald Fischer slept last night in a jail,' Gingerich told NBC 10. 'That made me, I'm sorry to say it, but truthfully it made me happy.'

Elden DaSilva, supervisory deputy US marshal for the District of Rhode Island, told the Globe: 'People return to their passions and their behaviors when they feel it’s safe to do so and that’s what he did.'

Fischer's capture ended two decades as a fugitive. His fall from grace began back in 1994, when Fischer was accused of a separate rape of a woman aboard another boat called the Dreammaker.

The 25-year-old alleged victim told the police she had met Fischer for a date aboard the vessel in Quincy Bay, which quickly spiraled when she refused to have sex with him, court records show.

The woman claimed Fischer choked her into submission before pulling her jeans off and raping her. 

She told investigators that he eventually allowed her to go above deck after she promised she would not fight back any more and she took her opportunity to escape. The alleged victim then ran naked to a nearby boat where the occupants dialed 911, according to court testimony.

Fischer ultimately saw the charges downgraded and pleaded guilty to assault and battery at his trial in 1996, after the woman declined to testify. He did not end up serving any jail time.

Several years later, another woman claimed she was raped by a man going by the name 'Kevin' aboard his boat, the Lion King following a date at a marina bar in Newport, Rhode Island.

The alleged victim told the Boston Globe she now recognizes the man from the assault as Fischer using an alias. 

However, it was not until 2003 when Fischer was accused of raping Gingerich that he wound up in court.

Fearing the outcome of the trial, Fischer packed up his things and fled his old life. He was found guilty of the attack in absentia after failing to turn up to his trial in Newport.

He had his medical license revoked in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. 

Investigators searching for Fischer noted that he had purchased a flight to London before his disappearance which he then canceled. His ex-wife also told the authorities Fischer had friends in Brazil. 

However, in the years between his conviction and his arrest last month, Fischer had taken up a new identity as Richard Graydon, at one point living in New York City. 

Following a stint with a failed weight loss company, Fischer fabricated his resume to convince prospective employers he was a board-certified hematologist-oncologist, which enabled him to secure a lucrative career in the biotech industry, the Boston Globe reports.

He became a member of the volunteer-run Liberty Yacht Club where he entered races and was pictured at various social events.

This included a gala in April of this year, where Fischer was snapped beaming at the camera.

But despite his impunity, cracks were beginning to show in Fischer's facade. 

Members of his crew have since told the Boston Globe that he was known for having an explosive temper and could often be heard shouting at his team so aggressively it was audible from nearby vessels.

Paul Elkouss, a crew member aboard the Silver Lining in 2024 and 2025, told the outlet that Fischer's temper and poor management ultimately hindered any of his delusions of being a successful yachtsman.

Fischer's web of lies finally collapsed after he stepped into the role of chief medical officer with Los Angeles firm Immix Biopharma. 

Immix then published Fischer's headshot online, which prompted the FBI tip off.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission seen by the Daily Mail, Immix said: 'Richard Graydon has been terminated and is no longer with the Company for reasons unrelated to his activities at the Company. 

'Given his short tenure, management believes there is no material effect on the business.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Immix for comment.