A fugitive doctor, wanted for two decades in connection with a sexual assault charge, has been arrested after allegedly living under an alias as a high-flying executive. Ronald Fischer, 70, was apprehended Thursday by U.S. Marshals and the Coast Guard aboard a sailboat off the coast of New Jersey.
Fischer had been a fugitive since 2005, when he disappeared during his trial in Rhode Island on charges stemming from the alleged sexual assault of Cheryl Gingerich aboard his yacht. Authorities said Fischer operated the sailboat under the name Richard Graydon, one of multiple aliases he is believed to have used while evading law enforcement. Investigators discovered that the name Richard Graydon was also listed as the chief medical officer hired by Los Angeles-based biotech company Immix Biopharma in March. A now-deleted biography on the Immix website for "Dr. Richard Graydon" included a photo resembling Fischer and stated he had over 20 years of experience in clinical development, previously working at Merck Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson. The biography also claimed he held MD and PhD degrees from Stanford University and trained at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital.
Immix Biopharma filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, stating that Graydon had been terminated on July 17, 2026, for reasons unrelated to his activities at the company. Prior to his role at Immix, Graydon was hired as interim chief medical officer for Seattle-based Atossa Therapeutics in October 2022. An announcement at the time cited his experience in CAR-T cell therapy. However, a spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson denied that Fischer, under the alias Graydon, had ever been an employee of the company.
Despite fleeing before the conclusion of his sexual assault trial, Fischer was convicted in absentia of first-degree sexual assault and remained wanted for failing to appear in court and flight to avoid prosecution. Law enforcement described him for years as a skilled sailor with international connections who used multiple aliases. Fischer was featured on "America's Most Wanted" as detectives pursued numerous reported sightings. His capture came after investigators received new information, leading to a coordinated operation involving the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and the Coast Guard.
First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda stated that Fischer would return to Rhode Island to face the consequences he evaded for over 20 years. Gingerich and her family expressed relief at his apprehension, with Gingerich stating she had lived in fear and her son noting her long-held belief that he was hiding in plain sight.