Eric Spofford, founder of Granite Recovery Centers (GRC), New Hampshire’s largest substance use disorder treatment provider, faces multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abusive leadership, according to an investigation by NHPR. The allegations include accusations from former clients and employees who describe a pattern of inappropriate behavior targeting vulnerable individuals.
Allegations from a Former Client
Elizabeth, a former client at Green Mountain Treatment Center (a GRC facility), said she received explicit Snapchat messages from Spofford one day after completing treatment in 2017. She described the messages as including explicit photos and invitations to meet for sex. Elizabeth said the harassment “definitely, definitely, 100% set me back in my recovery” and contributed to her relapse into opioid use two weeks later. She told NHPR that as a newly sober woman in her mid-20s, she felt pressured by Spofford’s status and feared rejecting his advances could harm her reputation or jeopardize her housing in a sober home. A friend of Elizabeth’s, Justin Downey, independently confirmed her account to NHPR.
Workplace Allegations
NHPR’s investigation identified allegations involving at least two GRC employees. One employee, referred to as Employee A, alleged that Spofford sexually assaulted her in his office around 2018. She described receiving escalating inappropriate Snapchat messages before the alleged assault occurred on a couch in Spofford’s office. Employee A said she was fired the next day after Spofford witnessed her having lunch with a male colleague, which she believes was retaliation. Three sources independently confirmed details of her account.
A second employee, referred to as Employee B, allegedly told colleagues in spring 2020 that Spofford had sexually assaulted her. This disclosure prompted at least four staff members, including Chief Operating Officer Brian Stoesz and Director of Spiritual Life Piers Kaniuka, to resign. Multiple sources told NHPR that Spofford negotiated a paid settlement with Employee B that included strict non-disclosure requirements. Spofford’s lawyer, Mitchell Schuster, stated that Spofford “denies any alleged misconduct—in particular, the sexual assault accusations, which are not only categorically untrue, but defamatory in nature.”
Company Background and Response
GRC serves thousands of people across New England and operates three residential treatment facilities, detox services, outpatient treatment, and multiple sober homes. Since 2019, the company has received more than $3 million dollars in no-bid state contracts. Spofford sold GRC to BayMark Health Services, a Texas-based company, in December 2021 for an undisclosed sum. Spofford described the sale price as “more money than I’d ever seen in my entire life.” A BayMark representative declined to comment on allegations pertaining to periods before the company’s ownership.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.nhpr.org/2022-03-22/eric-spofford-granite-recovery-center-nh-sexual-misconduct