New York School Scandal: Students S*xually Abused, Forced To Dig Graves and Eat Vomit

A former student of the now-closed Family Foundation School in New York has filed a USD 10 million (around INR 84 crore) lawsuit alleging years of abuse, neglect and s*xual assault at the institution. The lawsuit details a series of disturbing allegations, including forced strip searches, physical punishment and exploitation of students as unpaid labourers.

The Family Foundation School, a private boarding school in Hancock, New York, operated until 2014 and reportedly charged families up to USD 80,000 annually for enrolment.

Survivor Details Alleged Abuse at School

According to court documents, the former student attended the school between 2000 and 2003 and claims students were subjected to humiliating treatment upon arrival, including strip searches.

The lawsuit alleges that some students were wrapped inside rolled-up rugs secured with duct tape, while others were forced to participate in what were described as "s*xualized group sessions" involving staff members.

The complainant further alleged that students who attempted to flee the campus were tracked down and returned using K9 dogs.

Teacher Convicted in Separate Criminal Case

The lawsuit names former music teacher Paul Geer, who allegedly forced the student to join the school's chorus group before allegedly abusing him during a school trip to Toronto, Canada.

According to the filing, the student reported the incident to school owner Michael Argiros, but the complaint was allegedly ignored. Instead, he was reportedly placed on a disciplinary "work sanction."

The former student later testified against Geer in a federal criminal trial in 2024. Geer was subsequently sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Claims of Forced Labour and Harsh Conditions

The lawsuit also alleges that students were regularly used as unpaid workers for tasks benefiting the school's owners, Michael and Cindy Argiros.

These duties allegedly included digging trenches, shovelling snow, cleaning animal pens, carrying out construction work and performing household chores at the family's private residence. Students were also allegedly required to prepare meals and clean the family's home.

The court filing further claims that students were forced to dig their own graves and, in some instances, were made to eat their own vomit as punishment.

School Accused of Misleading Families

The former student alleges that the school misled parents about its operations and persuaded some families to transfer legal guardianship of their children to the school's owners.

According to the lawsuit, many staff members lacked professional qualifications in teaching, counselling or clinical care. The filing describes the institution as being operated by individuals without the educational or professional credentials typically expected in a boarding school environment.

School Owner Denies Knowledge of Abuse

Michael Argiros has denied knowing about any abuse at the school. According to reports, he stated during sworn testimony that he was unaware of complaints or reports of misconduct while the institution was in operation.

The lawsuit remains ongoing, and the allegations have not yet been tested in court.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2026 01:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).