A civil lawsuit that alleged a NYU Langone orthopedic surgeon set his office manager up for a charge of grand larceny has been thrown out by a Manhattan judge, The Madison Leader Gazette reported Oct. 2.
John Kennedy, MD, head of the New York City-based system's foot and ankle division of orthopedic surgery, was accused of threatening and harassing Susanne Shafmeister, the surgeon's former office manager who he began dating more than 10 years before she became operations manager at his private practice, according to court documents.
But attorneys for Dr. Kennedy filed a countersuit that alleged Ms. Shafmeister made up her claims after she was confronted for allegedly embezzling more than $200,000 from his practice.
In November 2019, Ms. Schafmeister was arrested on grand larceny charges for writing a $12,000 bonus check to herself from Dr. Kennedy’s private practice. In the lawsuit, she said 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 as well as allegations that she embezzled more than $200,000 from the practice.
In June, Ms. Schafmeister pleaded guilty to petit larceny and agreed to pay $2,000 restitution to Dr. Kennedy. A judge in August dismissed her lawsuit against the surgeon, according to the report.