Content Warning: The article mentions details of sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

A Denver cardiologist named Steven Mathews was sentenced to 158 years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting women he met on dating apps. Mathews would call the victims home and spike their drink with an unknown substance. Victim accounts have revealed that they would lose consciousness and wake up without clothes on the bed after Matthews had ra–d them.

According to CBS News, Judge Eric Johnson called the evidence against the former doctor “overwhelming.” The 158-year sentence means that Matthews will be spending the rest of his life behind bars. The victims rained down on Matthews, calling him “despicable” and his actions “appalling and atrocious.” Matthews would manipulate the victims into thinking that they had too much to drink and didn’t remember what followed.

This is Denver Cardiologist, Dr. Stephen Matthews. He was sentenced to 158 years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting women he met on dating Apps.

He lured women to his Denver townhouse, spiked their drinks and then sexually assaulted them.

The judge gave him the… pic.twitter.com/D4EZX5yXl6

— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) May 19, 2026

“You drugged me and ra–d me and manipulated me into thinking it was my fault,” a victim stated in court. Matthews’ family, on the other hand, demanded a lighter sentence. “I’m sad that so many lives have been impacted and changed,” the former cardiologist’s father said. “I’m not here to defend or to diminish. I’m not proud to be here.” Matthews’ mother said that she would continue to love him, “no matter what.”

Following Matthews’ sentencing, the case took a new turn. The sexual assault survivors filed a lawsuit against Match Group, the parent company behind popular dating apps like Hinge and Tinder. The lawsuit claims that the company disregarded the safety of its users and let a convicted ra—t like Stephen Matthews to remain on the app.

“This is a lawsuit against the world’s largest online dating monopoly for knowingly recommending serial rapist Dr. Stephen Matthews to women on its platforms, who he then drugged and raped,” the lawsuit read. The lawsuit alleges that Match Group ignored complaints being made about Matthews on the app.

Match Group, the $8.5 billion corporation that owns many of the popular dating apps, is now facing a class-action lawsuit alleging violations of various consumer protection and fair business laws. https://t.co/hIS4gNtIZE

— Jacobin (@jacobin) February 15, 2025

Attorney Carrie Goldberg, who is representing the six plaintiffs filing the lawsuit, spoke to People. “For too long, Match Group has nearly monopolized online dating and created an industry-wide disregard for the r–e of its women members,” Goldberg began. “The serial predation by Stephen Matthews is an extreme example, but our clients bring this lawsuit to demonstrate that every day apps like Hinge and Tinder are used as a hunting ground for violent men.”

The internet has been enraged by the incident, urging the court to take far stricter action. “He’s only crying cause he can’t do it again! F–king piece of s–t,” one user wrote on X. “Why don’t they just execute? He’s gonna die anyway in jail.” Another pointed out why the 158-year sentence is not given to child ra—ts, referring to the injustice done to victims of Jeffrey Epstein. The victims have claimed that Match Group worried more about Matthews being on the app than about women’s safety, especially since he was a paid user.

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Doctor Drugged Women’s Drinks and Assaulted Them — Mother Says She’ll “Always Love Him” Despite 158-Year Sentence

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