Former Granite Recovery owner sues over story about allegations of his sexual misconduct

Josie Albertson-Grove, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·3 min read

Sep. 20—The former owner of Granite Recovery Centers is suing New Hampshire Public Radio and former recovery center employees who spoke to the radio station's reporters, over a story relaying allegations of sexual misconduct from employees.

The defamation lawsuit, filed by former Granite Recovery Centers CEO Eric Spofford, names as defendants the radio station, two of its reporters and an editor, and former recovery center employees quoted in the story, published in March 2022.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday and a copy of the complaint was provided to the Union Leader. A spokesman for New Hampshire Public Radio said the radio station had not yet been served with the suit.

"NHPR has not been served with the lawsuit and cannot comment on a suit they haven't seen," said Jayme Simoes of the Concord public relations firm Louis Karno.

Spofford denies that he had non-consensual sexual relations with recovery center employees, and denied he sent a picture of his genitals to a recovery client the day after she left treatment. The complaint argues that some of NHPR's sources who were newly in recovery could not be trusted.

In the complaint, Spofford alleges that reporters were sloppy or even malicious in reporting the story of allegations of sexual misconduct against him. The complaint alleges that Spofford has had trouble convincing investors to give him money for new business ventures, alleging the investors have brought up the NHPR story and the misconduct allegations. The complaint also alleges Spofford has been shunned by the political figures who once embraced him.

The complaint also alleged one of the sources — Piers Kaniuka — later recanted what he told the reporters in a letter — but in the letter, attached as one of hundreds of pages of exhibits, Kaniuka only said he did not have firsthand knowledge of any allegations, and had wanted to review his statements to the reporters before publication. Kaniuka was not quoted in the NHPR story as making any specific allegations.

Attorneys for NHPR wrote in letters to Spofford's attorneys, attached as exhibits to the complaint, that that source had not recanted what he said but said he regretted speaking with reporters after Spofford's attorneys pressured him.

NHPR employees' homes were vandalized shortly after publication of the story about the sexual misconduct allegations. In the complaint, Spofford alleges that while those stories did not directly blame him for the vandalism, blame was implied.

Spofford was prominent in New Hampshire as the state grappled with the opioid crisis, and was celebrated by Gov. Chris Sununu and other political figures. Granite Recovery Centers was even due for a visit from then-Vice President Mike Pence in July 2019, but the visit was abruptly canceled.

In July 2019, shortly after Pence's visit was canceled, a then-executive at Granite Recovery Centers pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. Then in December 2019, a mother sued Granite Recovery Centers after her daughter died of an overdose at one of the group's sober-living homes. Granite Recovery Centers denied responsibility in court documents.