Uber Driver Accused of Raping Passenger in Boston

An Uber driver in Boston was charged with kidnapping and raping a customer of the ride-sharing service, in another potentially damaging case for the rapidly expanding company.

Alejandro Done, 46, allegedly drove a woman he picked up to a secluded area and then assaulted her in the back seat earlier this month. He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on Wednesday, the Boston Globe reports.

Uber says Done had passed a background check. “This is a despicable crime and our thoughts and prayers are with the victim during her recovery,” Uber spokesperson Kaitlin Durkosh said in a statement to CBS Boston. “Uber has been working closely with law enforcement and will continue to do everything we can to assist their investigation.”

The ride-sharing company is coming under increasing scrutiny in the U.S. and abroad over regulatory and safety concerns as it expands to more than 50 countries. Several countries have moved to outlaw Uber services, and New Delhi banned Uber earlier this month days after a female passenger accused her Uber driver of rape.

The ride-sharing service said yesterday that it was boosting safety measures and revamping its background checks abroad.

See Uber Protests From Around the World

French Taxi drivers burn tires as they protest in the southern city of Marseille on June 25, 2015 as they demonstrate against UberPOP, a popular taxi app that is facing fierce opposition from traditional cabs.

Anne-Christine Poujoulat—AFP/Getty Images

Police officers in riot gear attempt to flip a car back onto it's wheels at Porte Maillot on June 25, 2015 in Paris. Protesters blocked roads to airports and train stations, overturning cars and setting tires on fire.

Guillaume de Senneville—Demotix/Corbis

Hundreds of taxi drivers gather next to the Olympia Stadium to protest ride-sharing apps on June 11, 2014 in Berlin.

Sean Gallup—Getty Images

A demonstrator kicks a car, suspected of being a private taxi during a 24 hour taxi strike and protest in Madrid on June 11, 2014.

Paul White—AP

A taxi driver listens to speeches by his colleagues, during an Europe-wide protest of licensed taxi drivers against taxi hailing apps that are feared to flush unregulated private drivers into the market, in front of the Olympic stadium in Berlin on June 11, 2014.

Thomas Peter—Reuters

Taxi drivers hold a banner during a protest in Barcelona on June 11, 2014.

Josep Lago—AFP/Getty Images

London taxi's line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London.

Dan Kitwood—Getty Images

Taxi drivers park their cars and honk the horn in protest on Pennsylvania Avenue, bringing street traffic to a stop as they demand an end to ride sharing services such as Uber X and Lyft on June 25, 2014, in Washington.

PAUL J. RICHARDS—AFP/Getty Images

An Italian taxi driver distributes leaflets reading "Don't take an illegal taxi, take a white regular taxi" during a protest on June 11, 2014 in Rome.

ANDREAS SOLARO—AFP/Getty Images

Taxis drivers block a highway outside Paris, near Roissy on June 11, 2014, as they take part in a demonstration to protest the growing number of minicabs, known in France as Voitures de Tourisme avec Chauffeurs (VTC).

Fred Dufour—AFP/Getty Images

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[Boston Globe]

Write to Noah Rayman at noah.rayman@time.com.