A famous TV psychologist bugged her ex-husband’s room to allegedly extort money from his property developer boss, he claims.

Judith Zackson, who has appeared on CNN, CBS, and Fox News and is worth $4.4 million, split from her husband Brad Zackson in May 2022.

From 2020, as their marriage collapsed, they were living in separate rooms in their $4 million, six-bedroom, 7.5-bath, 6,727sqft mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Brad only spotted the listening device in April 2022 when he saw a curious red light flashing in the bathroom ceiling. He filed for divorce within weeks.

Her husband Brad Zackson only spotted the listening device in April 2022 when he saw a curious red light flashing in the bathroom ceiling. He filed for divorce within weeks

Judith admitted to the eavesdropping during divorce proceedings, which are still ongoing, and is accused of recording his business calls for up to two years.

Now Brad’s boss, Dynamic Star chief executive Gary Segal, claims in a lawsuit that Judith’s plan all along was to blackmail his property firm.

‘Dynamic Star and Ms Zackson have no financial relationship. Dynamic Star is fighting an ongoing vindictive, ugly campaign being waged by an ex-wife of a principal. We are confident court will see the truth,’ the company said. 

The complaint filed by Dynamic and Segal in Manhattan Supreme Court claimed Judith joked about getting ‘a big check from Uncle Gary’.

‘Dr Zackson cynically and secretly invaded Dynamic as a ploy in defense of a divorce action in Connecticut… in an attempt to extort money from Dynamic or Gary,’ it claimed.

Judith’s lawyer argued the claims were meritless and she only recorded Brad to ‘protect herself from her spouse’.

From 2020, as their marriage collapsed, they were living in separate rooms in their $4 million, six-bedroom, 7.5-bath, 6,727sqft mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut

Judith admitted to the eavesdropping during divorce proceedings, which are still ongoing, and is accused of recording his business calls for up to two years

The lawsuit claimed Judith hid recording devices in Brad’s part of the mansion and recorded business calls in 2021 and 2022, and even put one in his car.

Dynamic is not seeking damages, just all copies of the recordings handed over to ‘remove the threat to its existence’.

‘Dr Zackson has been spying on Brad for years which means that Dr Zackson has been spying on [Dynamic] and its business affairs for years,’ the lawsuit claimed.

Judith is claimed to have eavesdropped on calls between Brad and other Dynamic executives and its lawyers, as well as New York City officials and prospective investors.

‘The scope of these transgressions is unknown. The number of recordings is unknown. The location of them is unknown. The disclosure or use of them is unknown,’ the lawsuit claimed.

‘Damages alone will not protect Dynamic. The business and real estate projects are or likely will be valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, well beyond the ability of Dr Zackson to answer in money damages. 

‘There is no way to calculate the damage that she can cause to interpersonal relationships and business opportunities.’

Dynamic’s business includes the $2.5 billion Fordham Landing development in the Bronx, beside the Harlem River.

The lawsuit claimed Judith hid recording devices in Brad’s part of the mansion and recorded business calls in 2021 and 2022, and even put one in his car

Dynamic’s business includes the $2.5 billion Fordham Landing development in the Bronx, beside the Harlem River

However, the company is strapped for cash as its properties are ‘underwater, and they could not refinance the debt due to the market’, according to a Connecticut Superior Court document.

The filing claimed Brad couldn’t afford to pay his legal fees as he was in $9 million debt, including $5.7 million to Segal, and hadn’t filed a tax return since 2012. 

Judith countered Dynamic’s claim by arguing she never planned to extort money from Segal – she just needed it as insurance against Brad.

Brad was caught with a gun the same month he filed for divorce, which was illegal due to his 1983 felony convictions of robbery and criminal possession of a weapon in Nassau County.

He was also arrested twice in 2022 for breaching a restraining order.

‘Mr Zackson has repeatedly violated a restraining order issued because of his abusive and threatening behavior, leading to two additional arrests,’ Judith’s lawyer told the New York Post.

**News Release Submitted by Bethel First Selectman Dan Carter**

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) appointed a Charter Revision Commission this week. Bethel is one of 109 towns in Connecticut that has a charter that allows us to control our structure of government, and the powers, duties, and terms of office of our officials. The Commission will be charged with looking at our charter and considering changes, including changes recommended by the BOS. The process could take over a year, so stay tuned for information and public hearing opportunities.

With spring yard cleanup, we have received smoke complaints due to open burning of leaves. Connecticut DEEP requires permits for open burning and only twigs, small branches, and logs less than 3” in diameter can be burned in a pile that is 5 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 3 ft high. Burning will be authorized only between 10 am and 5 pm. Find info and request burn permits online at https://bethel-ct.gov/fire-permits.

We have had recent inquiries about the Gadsden Flag that is flown with other military flags in PT Barnum Square. The flag has flown in town for years due to its historical significance as a symbol of unity during the Revolutionary War and a special meaning to our Bethel High NJROTC based on the naval history of the flag. Hopefully, communicating the context of why the flag is flown in our small town will help us understand the intended, noble meaning of the flag in this situation and avoid controversy and intolerance based on modern, politicized interpretations of the flag.

From the Tax Collector: current utility bills are due June 1st. Last day to pay to avoid interest is July 1st. If your bill has an “E” as the read code, this means your bill was estimated. To avoid a possible overestimated bill, the MIU needs to be replaced. There’s no charge and a quick fix. Please call 203-794-8509 to set up an appointment. Also, the 2023 Water Quality Report for Bethel is available in the Tax Collector office or online at https://bethel-ct.gov/news.

Check out upcoming public hearings at https://bethel-ct.gov/2024-public-hearing.
Public Hearing: Planning & Zoning Commission re: 10 Topstone Drive and continuation of hearings for 140 Greenwood Ave and 18 Stony Hill Rd (https://bethel-ct.gov/2024-zoning) on Tuesday, May 28th at 7:00 pm at Town Hall in Conference Room D

“The 101 Critical Days of Summer” have arrived. It’s the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when a lot of accidents happen. Please take time to consider threats to your safety and the safety of your friends and family this summer, including alcohol use, speeding, heat, fatigue, and water activities. Learn more at https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Communications/Staged/Summer-Safety

The Bethel Blooms Craft Fair is back! Stop by the front lawn of the Town Hall tomorrow, May 25 from 10am to 4pm. Free admission!

Don’t miss the Annual Family Summer Kickoff hosted by the Bethel Education Foundation at the BHS football field on Friday, May 31st from 5 pm to 8 pm. Tickets available at the door or online at https://www.betheledfoundation.org/family-summer-kick-off.html

Bethel CT Pride hosts the annual Bethel Pride Celebration and Sidewalk Parade on Saturday, June 1st. The lineup for sidewalk parade begins across from the Bethel Train Station at 12 pm and the parade starts at 12:30 pm. The parade will travel south on Durant Ave, east on Greenwood Ave, north on PT Barnum Sq, and ends in front of Town Hall with a brief drum circle and flag raising. Enjoy bands, food, games, and more until 5pm! For more information visit https://bethelctpride.com/event-info

Another shoutout to award winning gymnast Alisha Ali, spelled correctly this time! It was great to see you in our parade.

A delayed shoutout to State Rep Marty Foncello for joining us at the parade and the wreath laying ceremony!

Thank you, Bethel Women’s Club, for the flags around our gazebo to honor our Veterans!

Congrats to our Athlete of the Week, Adrian Vasquez, for his performance in the recent freshmen invitational!

Congratulations to Bethel recipients of the Western Connecticut Superintendent’s Award! Our winners exhibit a commitment to community service, demonstrate academic prowess, and provide leadership in the school community. From Bethel High School: Madison Tamburri & Joshua Heyel. From Bethel Middle School: Bhuvan Sai Dasari & Ryan Marks. Great Job!

Way to go Bethel Boys Lacrosse on their 17 to 2 win in round 1 of the state tournament!

A shoutout to the crew of Even 91 and all service men and women who have sacrificed everything for our nation. We are grateful.

Town Offices are closed on Monday, May 27th in observance of Memorial Day.

Have a great weekend!

Dan

NEW HAVEN — An investigation by Disability Rights Connecticut has found that the Connecticut Mental Health Center failed to investigate sexual assault claims, restrained or secluded patients without proper documentation or monitoring, and allowed mice to infest its facility. 

The center, run by the Yale School of Medicine and the state’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, is a 20-bed facility for patients suffering from serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, sometimes combined with substance abuse. 

“DRCT’s systemic findings uncovered a pervasive culture of DMHAS’ and CMHC’s failure to adequately protect and treat patients under its care,” the report reads.  

The investigation outlined in the report spanned nearly three years — from April 2021 to February 2024. The organization looked at the records of 14 patients at the facility, visited six times and interviewed staff and patients.

Rachel Mirsky, the supervisory attorney at Disability Rights Connecticut, told CT Examiner that the organization decided to investigate the center after receiving multiple complaints about the conditions there. 

Abuse incidents 

The report describes an incident where a 25-year-old woman was sexually assaulted by a male patient on two different occasions in the spring and summer of 2021. The facility allegedly failed to investigate the assaults. The woman, who had been diagnosed with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder as well as having a borderline intellectual disability, left the facility after three months. 

Another woman, 23, who came into the facility with post-traumatic stress disorder from childhood sexual abuse, was allegedly assaulted three times by a male patient over the course of six months. None of the instances were investigated, the report claims. When it was time for her to leave the facility, the report states she was discharged to her family despite having told her treatment team that she had been abused by her brother, who also lived there. She returned to the center a week later after relapsing into substance abuse, and was alleged to have been sexually harassed on a number of occasions over the following six months. None of those allegations were reported or investigated, according to the report.

The report also found that a number of patients were denied essential care, including the lack of assigned psychologists and the absence of plans to support positive behavior. The report noted that the 23-year-old woman was prescribed emergency psychotropic drugs — chemical restraints — 14 times and was physically restrained on one occasion, but never received a psychological assessment or behavior plan. 

The center is also accused of failing to consistently document the use of restraint and seclusion on patients, which is meant to be used only when the person or others in the vicinity are in immediate physical danger, and requires a doctor to sign a form indicating that restraints are necessary. According to the report, this documentation was regularly missing.  

A 31-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia was admitted to the center in 2019. After about a year in the facility, he was discharged to a group home, where it is alleged that he attacked a staff person and another resident. He was sent to the emergency room and then returned to the center. 

“The [center] social worker documented that shortly after his readmission to [the center], the father of John Doe #1 asked the social worker what would be different about his treatment this time and stated that John Doe #1’s previous stay with [the center] had lasted for one year and that he was discharged unchanged,” the report read.  

During the 32 weeks he remained at the center, the man was physically restrained 14 times, chemically restrained 16 times and placed in seclusion six times, according to the report. The documentation required for these restraints and seclusions was allegedly incomplete or missing in all of these instances. 

According to the report, the man was sexually abusive toward staff and other patients at least 50 times during his stay, but none of those instances triggered an investigation. 

Over reliance of restraints on psychiatric patients rather than treatment was also reported in a 2019 investigation that Disability Rights Connecticut conducted on Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown.

In addition to unreported abuse and instances of restraints, the report on the Connecticut Mental Health Center found that certain patients were also regularly missing their clinical groups.

The report also criticized the facility itself, which had been beset by a mouse infestation. In September 2022, the housekeeping staff said 25 mice were captured in traps over one weekend. 

“Documentation indicated that mice were present in the kitchen/dining area, lounges, and patient bedrooms. On February 21, 2024, staff reported that even though the exterminator visited the facility three times a week, they continue to see mice in patient living areas, especially at nighttime. More is needed to address this chronic and unsanitary situation,” the report noted. 

The building also contains 63,000 square feet of asbestos under the floor tiles which has not yet been remediated. 

State response 

Chris McClure, spokesperson for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, told CT Examiner in a statement that the Connecticut Mental Health Center and all its facilities meet the “exacting and precise objective standards of care” required by the Joint Commission, and that client care was their highest concern. 

“While we appreciate the hard work and input of DRCT, and while we continue to review their report, the agency has numerous concerns with DRCT’s findings and recommendations; which include subjective criteria, calls for systems change when robust risk management, quality assurance, and critical incident reporting are already in place, and citation of isolated events that have since been remedied,” McClure said. 

But Mirsky told CT Examiner that, while the department says it has oversight from the Joint Commission, which accredits and sets standards for these facilities, she questions the quality of the Joint Commission’s assessments.  

“We have looked at reports from the Joint Commission and there we have found things that they did not find,” Mirsky said.  

McClure noted that the department disagreed with the organization’s findings and said senior leadership was “made available to DRTC throughout to discuss the material.”

But Disability Rights Connecticut is now asking for an outside agency to oversee the center and other facilities run by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. 

Of the six inpatient psychiatric hospitals that the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services runs in Connecticut, only one — Whiting Hospital — has independent oversight from the Department of Public Health, Mirsky explained.

“If [the Department of Public Health] or a similarly situated agency went in on a regular basis … people would have the ability to file complaints with them at any time,” Mirsky said. “If they get complaints, they can say, alright, we’re going to go in, we’re going to investigate. That’s not happening. We went in to investigate because no one else really is.” 

The organization is also asking for the creation of a system to monitor reporting and investigations of abuse and neglect claims, a system to monitor quality of care and require reviews of restraints and seclusions. 

“CMHC and its staff remain focused on the safety and care of their patients, engaging in ongoing monitoring and quality improvement for the clinical care they deliver. The center takes all feedback seriously and employs it in its ongoing efforts to improve the care that it delivers,” Yale said in a statement. 

Maureen Lyons, of the Joint Commission, told CT Examiner that the commission reviews complaints. Although the commission works with organizations like CMHC to “identify potential risks to patient safety and improve quality of care,” only a “governmental entity” can require a facility to shut down, she said.