Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Exploitation of a Vulnerable Mental-Health Client

Nassau County Supreme Court, Index No. 613598/2026 — seeks compensatory and punitive damages

GARDEN CITY, N.Y., June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A lawsuit in Nassau County Supreme Court (Index No. 613598/2026) alleges that the Mental Health Association of Nassau County, Inc. and two of its supervisors sexually exploited, financially manipulated, and retaliated against a vulnerable client who relied on it for treatment, employment, and housing. The plaintiff—a Nassau County woman with a psychiatric disability—proceeds under a pseudonym to protect her from further exploitation.

"This case is about the abuse of trust," said James E. Toner, Esq. "The people our client relied on exploited her vulnerability, and we intend to hold them accountable."

According to the complaint, Director Jeffrey McQueen used the woman's dependence to coerce her into a sexual relationship, arranged payroll checks before she performed real work, then pressured her to return cash in an unlawful wage kickback, and sent her sexually explicit material. Compliance Officer Lisa Weiss allegedly solicited a controlled substance prescribed to the plaintiff rather than intervene, and her housing was threatened when an internal investigation began. Clinton Housing Development Company, Inc. is also named.

"Institutions that serve people with mental-health disabilities owe them a heightened duty of protection," said Terence C. Scheurer, Esq. "The allegations describe a profound failure of that duty."

The suit asserts twenty-three causes of action—including sexual harassment, retaliation, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and assault and battery—and seeks compensatory and punitive damages to punish the organization for what the complaint describes as a reckless disregard for the vulnerable patients in its care.

The Toner Law Firm and the Law Offices of Terence Christian Scheurer, P.C. have joined forces on the case, combining 65 years of trial experience to hold the defendants accountable.

The above allegations are unproven and are contained in a filed complaint.

SOURCE Toner Law Firm