Founder of New Hampshire addiction center charged in scheme to intimidate journalists
The founder and former CEO of New Hampshire's largest network of addiction centers was arrested Friday after federal prosecutors say he orchestrated a conspiracy to stalk and harass local journalists in retaliation for unfavorable reporting.
The Justice Department announced the charges against Eric Spofford, 40, who founded the for-profit drug and alcohol treatment company Granite Recovery Centers, in a Friday press release.
Prosecutors said Spofford — who lives in both Salem, New Hampshire, and Miami, Florida — was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce; one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce; and two counts of stalking through interstate travel.
From March 2022 and continuing through at least May 2022, Spofford allegedly devised a scheme to harass and terrorize a reporter employed by New Hampshire Public Radio, her immediate family members and a senior editor at NHPR in retaliation for the outlet's reporting, officials said.
That year, NHPR reported multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, abusive leadership and retaliation by Spofford during his time as CEO of the addiction center. Spofford denied the allegations and later filed a defamation lawsuit against the outlet, officials said. A judge dismissed Spofford's suit, NHPR reported.
Prosecutors said Spofford paid his close friend $20,000 to throw large rocks and bricks at the victims' homes at night and spray-paint the properties with 'lewd and threatening language.'
Spofford's friend was assisted by three others who are currently in prison for their involvement in the harassment scheme, prosecutors said.
Jim Schachter, the president and CEO of NHPR, thanked the Justice Department in a statement on X and said that 'attacks on journalists have no place in American life.'
'His attempt to silence our reporting failed, as should every attempt to snuff out press freedom,' he wrote.
The journalist who reported the investigation, Lauren Chooljian, did not immediately return a request for comment.
Each count against Spofford carries a possible sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, prosecutors said.
An attorney for Spofford could not be immediately reached for comment.
A spokesperson for Granite Recovery Centers said in a phone call that Spofford sold the company three years ago and that 'he has nothing to do with the company.'
Officials said Spofford will appear in federal court in Boston on June 2.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
28 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Trump appears to undercut US proposal to Iran, declaring he won't allow any uranium enrichment
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday appeared to undercut a proposal that was offered by his special envoy to Iran, saying he will insist that Tehran fully dismantle its nuclear enrichment program as part of any deal to ease crushing sanctions. Trump and Steve Witkoff, who is leading the negotiations for the U.S., have repeatedly offered inconsistent public messages about whether Iran would be allowed to retain the capacity to enrich uranium to lower levels for civilian purposes. The Trump administration maintains that it will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. The negotiations have been framed by Trump as both countries' best chance to avoid direct military conflict over Iran's nuclear program. Tehran, which denies seeking a nuclear weapon, has insisted that it will not agree to any deal that fully scraps its enrichment program. 'Under our potential Agreement — WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!' Trump wrote on social media. The White House didn't elaborate on the post. Trump's post comes after media reports that Witkoff's latest proposal to Tehran would allow Iran to retain low levels of enrichment for civilian uses like nuclear medicine and commercial power if it agrees to shut down its heavily protected underground sites for a period of time. The U.S. and Iran have engaged in several rounds of direct nuclear talks for the first time in years. Senior officials — including Witkoff and Trump himself — have said within the last few weeks that Iran would not be able to keep enriching uranium at any level. The proposal, reported by Axios and confirmed by two U.S. officials, called for the creation of a regional consortium to handle uranium enrichment for civilian uses — a plan first studied more than a decade ago in negotiations that led to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Trump was sharply critical of that agreement — which also allowed set limits on uranium enrichment but permitted Iran to maintain such a capacity — and withdrew the U.S. from it in 2017 during his first term. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic negotiations. The International Atomic Energy Agency found that Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels since its last update in February, according to a confidential report released by the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Saturday. Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, but Iranian officials have increasingly suggested that Tehran could pursue an atomic bomb. 'President Trump has made it clear that Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement before Trump's post. 'Special Envoy Witkoff has sent a detailed and acceptable proposal to the Iranian regime, and it's in their best interest to accept it. Out of respect for the ongoing deal, the Administration will not comment on details of the proposal to the media.' The proposal that Trump appeared to undercut on Monday evening included significant concessions by the administration certain to anger Israel along with pro-Israel lawmakers in the United States. Several of the main points were essentially the same or very similar to conditions outlined in the 2015 nuclear deal. Early iterations of that agreement negotiated by the Obama administration also suggested the possibility of a regional consortium that would put Iranian uranium enrichment above a certain level under the control of Iran and its neighbors. The idea was scrapped, however, because of Gulf Arab nations' objections and Iranian suspicions of the ultimate aims of the consortium. People who were involved in the 18-month negotiations for the 2015 deal reacted immediately to reports that the Trump administration might allow Iran to continue with an enrichment program at any level, particularly after senior officials repeatedly said Iran would not be able to retain such programs. 'This proposal poses a moment of truth for critics of previous Iran nuclear negotiations/agreements (and) those who have called for a no-enrichment, full-dismantlement deal,' Dan Shapiro, Obama's former ambassador to Israel, wrote on X. 'Will they hold Trump to the same standard?'
Wall Street Journal
31 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Boulder Flamethrower Attack Suspect Charged With Hate Crime
Mohamed Soliman was charged with attempted murder and hate crime charges after an incendiary attack in Boulder, Colo. on a group that advocates for the release of hostages in Gaza. Photo: David Zalubowski/Associated Press
Associated Press
32 minutes ago
- Associated Press
The 49ers complete trade to acquire edge rusher Bryce Huff from the Eagles for a mid-round pick
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have completed the trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for edge rusher Bryce Huff. Huff restructured his contract with the Eagles last week to help facilitate the trade that will send a 2026 mid-round pick to Philadelphia and the teams announced it on Monday, pending a physical. Huff was set to make $17 million in fully guaranteed money this year. The Eagles will pay $9.05 million of that with the 49ers on the hook for the remaining $7.95 million, ESPN reported last week. The move to acquire Huff gives San Francisco another needed option at edge rusher across from star Nick Bosa and reunites Huff with Robert Saleh, who was his head coach at the New York Jets during his most productive season in 2023. Huff had 10 sacks that season and recorded 67 pressures on just 334 pass rush snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Huff translated that breakthrough season into a three-year, $51.1 million deal with the Eagles. He had only 2 1/2 sacks and 23 pressures in his one season in Philadelphia, missing five games with a wrist injury. He was then a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl. Huff was originally an undrafted free agent by the Jets in 2020 out of Memphis. He had 7 1/2 sacks in his first three seasons before the breakthrough campaign under Saleh in 2023. The Niners were in need of another pass rusher after cutting Leonard Floyd early in the offseason. They drafted Mykel Williams 11th overall in April but had no other defensive end who had a season with at least five sacks in the NFL. Yetur Gross-Matos is the only other edge rusher on the roster with extensive experience. Gross-Matos had four sacks last season in his first year with San Francisco. The Eagles have undergone significant changes at edge rusher this offseason with Brandon Graham retiring and Josh Sweat leaving to sign with Arizona in free agency. Philadelphia is counting on increased contributions from returning players Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt and has also signed Azeez Ojulari and Joshua Uche in free agency. ___ AP NFL:
