‘The 13th Step’ podcast investigates sexual abuse in substance recovery community

Geoff Bennett:

New Hampshire's largest substance abuse treatment network has helped tens of thousands of drug users loosen addiction's hold over their lives.

But a three-year investigation undertaken by a local journalist uncovered evidence that the group's founder took advantage of his position and the vulnerability of his patients and staff.

Ali Rogan has that conversation.

And a warning that elements of this discussion could be disturbing for some viewers.

Ali Rogan:

New Hampshire Public Radio investigative reporter Lauren Chooljian recently released "The 13th Step" chronicling her reporting over the last few years. But the story didn't end with publication, as Chooljian found reporting on the alleged abuses left her, her family and her news organization vulnerable as well.

Lauren, thank you so much for joining us.

Let's first talk about the name of your podcast, "The 13th Step." What does that refer to?

Lauren Chooljian, New Hampshire Public Radio:

Well, it refers to the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's kind of a euphemism on those 12 steps, as the step that comes after it.

And, basically, what it means is that people who have later sobriety, who have been through the program, have years or months of sobriety are then, insert verb here, preying on or flirting with or trying to start a relationship with someone who is in earlier sobriety.

Now, our podcast digs into the times where that is very unwanted and very problematic. And the reason why it can be problematic is because there's a really, really difficult power differential there. Here's someone who has more footing underneath them, and a person in early recovery. I mean, that's an extremely vulnerable time.

And so consent is really tricky. And I should say, like, if you have never heard this phrase before, it's likely that you're not in recovery, because people in recovery will tell you, this is just the most common thing. I had someone tell me that they heard it first in the '70s. In the history of addiction treatment, you will see it right there with the adoption of Alcoholics Anonymous.

It's a thing that has been around, but just a lot of us haven't been paying enough attention to see it.

Ali Rogan:

Let's talk about the man at the center of the allegations in your podcast.

His name is Eric Spofford. He's the CEO of one of the largest addiction recovery systems in the Northeast. Tell us about his story.

Lauren Chooljian:

He started his company at a time when New Hampshire, like many states, but especially in New Hampshire, we really desperately needed help.

He started with one small sober home, grew that company to one of the biggest providers of substance use disorder treatment in New England. And not only did he do it, but people really believed in him, our governor, who says that he — Eric Spofford was the first person he would call if he had questions about the opioid crisis.

And Eric offered not just a story that people wanted to rally behind, but a company that he said really was doing things right. I think we have a little tape from Eric talking about in a training video that he made for staff how different his company, which is called Granite Recovery Centers, was supposed to be.

Eric Spofford, Founder, Granite Recovery Centers:

This company really focuses and operates on integrity. We pride ourselves on doing the right thing.

We have always held a high standard of doing the right thing in a time where addiction treatment, not everybody that does this work is doing the right thing. And we put clients over profits consistently. And we care about the people we serve.

Lauren Chooljian:

But as I learned through my now three years of reporting, there was very much another story going on here.

Ali Rogan:

And let's talk about that private story that was happening behind closed doors that really contrasted with the public image that you just talked about.

Lauren Chooljian:

Yes.

So, originally, Ali, I did a story about a COVID outbreak at one of Eric's facilities. This was in December of 2020. And I got a tip soon after that that Eric was facing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, and that he was paying women to keep them silent about these allegations.

Obviously, that's a stunning e-mail to get. And I started digging around. And so one woman I heard from, we referred to her as Elizabeth. Elizabeth told me that she was a client of one of Eric's treatment centers. And the day after she left, she started receiving explicit pictures on Snapchat from Eric.

Elizabeth, Former Patient:

I knew in my court wasn't right, because I know that a CEO of a treatment center I left 24 hours ago should not be sending you pictures of his (Expletive Deleted). He shouldn't be sending me pictures of his (Expletive Deleted) even a year later. That's just integrity 101, right?

I didn't — I didn't want any of it. I wanted a roof over my head and food in my tummy. Like, I wanted to feel safe. So I knew not to share it.

Lauren Chooljian:

Then I also heard from an employee, a former employee of Eric's, who says that she also received these Snapchats while she was working for him, and that he sexually assaulted her in the office in the middle of the workday.

I found additional allegations as well. And it just goes to show that there was a lot more happening other than the public story that many of us, including NHPR — we had Eric on as an expert source during some of the hardest times of the opioid crisis.

And so there was a lot, a lot of digging I needed to do to find out what was really going on here.

Ali Rogan:

Let's talk about some of the underlying reasons for what makes this particular cohort so vulnerable.

Lauren Chooljian:

Yes, I think, Ali, a lot of the times, when we talk about active addiction, or we talk about addiction, substance use disorder, we think about active addiction.

But we don't talk as often about, once that substance has ended, it doesn't mean like, OK, your brain is back to normal, and everything's fine, your life's back in order. You're basically finding out who you are all over again. And so to be — have an understanding of consent, when you're still rebuilding your life and trying to figure out the next phase and a healthier phase of your life, it's extremely difficult.

AA or the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, while they have benefited and helped millions of people, I learned through my reporting they can also be easily exploited, because of the way that the program is built. And so I spoke with a writer, Holly Whitaker, who has a book, "Quit Like a Woman."

Here's a little bit of what Holly said.

Holly Whitaker, Author, "Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol": Shut up, follow the rules, don't complain. Like, do your work, keep yourself — like, all of that, which is — when you take that and extrapolate that into, like, the entire system, you understand why people with addictions are treated as inhumanely as they're treated and not trusted, and are perfect victims, perfect victims.

Ali Rogan:

Eric Spofford has denied the allegations against him. But I do want to ask about the retaliation that you and your family and your co-workers have come under as a result of your reporting.

Tell us about that.

Lauren Chooljian:

We published some of these allegations as a news story initially, and a month after that news story came out, my parents' home was vandalized, the C-word spray-painted on the garage door, a rock through the window.

And when I called my boss to tell him what had happened at my mom and dad's house, he said: "Oh, my God, Lauren. That happened to my house."

And then I later find out it happened at a house I used to rent. About a month later, we did have security camera footage capture that my house also was vandalized, and my parents' home was vandalized again. Same thing at my parents house, the C-word on the garage, brick or rock thrown out the window.

But, at my house, a brick was thrown through this like big beautiful picture window in my living room. And the words "Just the Beginning" were spray-painted under my house. It was obviously a pretty harrowing thing. At the time, I didn't know what really had happened or why, but my instinct was that it was in response to the reporting.

I have never in my 10-plus years in this field faced anything like that. And it was — it was — it has been quite difficult.

Ali Rogan:

Well, the podcast is "The 13th Step." It is a riveting listen.

Lauren Chooljian, thank you so much for joining us.

Lauren Chooljian:

Thank you so much.

Geoff Bennett:

And we should add that federal prosecutors have charged three men with alleged ties to Spofford in connection with the vandalism.

Spofford did not respond to the "NewsHour"'s multiple requests for comment. But in a since-dismissed defamation suit he filed against Chooljian and NHPR, his attorneys wrote this — quote — "From top to bottom, both the article and the podcast falsely state and imply that Eric sexually harassed one woman and sexually assaulted two others. Each NHPR defendant knew or recklessly disregarded that these claims were false."