John Kennedy, MD, is being sued by his former office manager, who alleges he hired a private detective to follow her and had her falsely arrested and charged with grand larceny, according to an NBC News report.
Five things to know:
1. Susanne Schafmeister, Dr. Kennedy’s former office manager, accused him of discriminatory behavior and alleges NYU Langone Health, where they both worked and Dr. Kennedy serves as head of the foot and ankle division, didn’t handle her allegations against Dr. Kennedy appropriately.
2. Dr. Kennedy and Ms. Schafmeister had a history together extending back more than a decade and beyond the clinical practice. The two began dating more than 10 years ago before Ms. Schafmeister became the operations manager for Dr. Kennedy’s private practice.
3. The two had broken off their relationship before Dr. Kennedy took his post at NYU Langone Health earlier this year, but Ms. Schafmeister followed him to the hospital. While both were at NYU Langone, Ms. Schafmeister alleges Dr. Kennedy harassed her and she filed a complaint with the health system’s HR department.
4. In November, Ms. Schafmeister was arrested on second-degree grand larceny charges for writing a $12,000 bonus check to herself from Dr. Kennedy’s private practice. In the lawsuit, she states Dr. Kennedy told her to issue the check and then filed a complaint stating she did not have permission to do so. Ms. Schafmeister denies those allegations, along with allegations in the complaint that she embezzled more than $100,000 from the practice.
5. NYU Langone Health maintained it takes inappropriate behavior allegations seriously and will continue to investigate. The health system also plans to defend the federal complaint in court.