Worcester woman sues ex-diocesan official over forced sex allegations

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NEW YORK A woman who earlier this year accused the manager of a Worcester Diocese soup kitchen of forcing her and other vulnerable women to have sex, the former manager has sued for his alleged actions, as well as diocesan leaders for alleged failure to act on the complaint in a timely manner.

This complaint reflects the defendants’ unlawful actions regarding their tortious activity and their extended duty of care to Bell and others in a similar situation, reads the complaint, filed December 13 in Superior Court in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Defendants engaged in continuous conduct, acting in concert, to abuse and mistreat [plaintiff Nicole] Bell and others then conspired to protect themselves from liability, he continues. Based on the foregoing and the allegations that follow, Bell seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

Bell detailed his allegations against former St. Johns Catholic Church poor food coordinator William Riley at Crux in February, before filing a formal complaint with the diocese’s victim relief coordinator of Worcester in March. As a result of the complaint, Riley was placed on administrative leave pending a third-party diocesan investigation.

This report was released in July and Riley subsequently resigned from his position.

The defendants in the lawsuit are the Diocese of Worcester and Bishop Robert McManus, St. Johns Catholic Church and its pastor, Father John Madden, and Riley. The lawsuit identifies eight causes of action against all defendants, including two separate counts of negligence and willful infliction of emotional distress, civil liability for sex trafficking and defamation.

Bells’ attorney, Beth Keeley, told Crux in a Dec. 20 email that it was incumbent on the lawsuit to bring to light issues that the Diocese of Worcester continues to go unresolved.

The goal continues to advance accountability and understanding, she said.

Ray Delisle, spokesman for the diocese, declined a request for comment from Crux, citing that the diocese does not comment on pending lawsuits. It was first reported by the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.

Bells’ allegations against Riley date back to the early 2010s. She alleges that from 2011 to 2014, when she was homeless and a drug addict, Riley used her position as a soup kitchen chef to coerce vulnerable women into having sex. sexual relations.

Bell is currently CEO of Living in Freedom Together, a Worcester organization that supports women leaving prostitution and works to end the sex trade.

Another woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fear of retaliation, detailed similar experiences to Crux in March with Riley from 2014 to August 2021, when she got sober.

There were a total of three complaints against Riley in the diocesan report of the investigation into Riley’s conduct. The report is 72 pages long, and because it’s heavily redacted, it’s unclear what he found. However, he concluded that the claims against Madden were unjustified.

The allegations against Madden were that he was aware of or complicit in Riley’s alleged conduct, that he himself engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with vulnerable women who were staying at the parish sober house, and that he he had engaged in witness manipulation by paying money for the benefit of someone who might be involved in the investigation.

Linked to Madden, the lawsuit alleges that Riley’s conduct was sanctioned by Madden’s daily presence and supervision, which allowed Riley to operate the food program in this way and refused to act, even when Madden informed of Riley’s conduct.

He also alleges that Maddens’ lawyers sent a cease and desist letter to Bell after the Diocesan report was released in July, alleging that she made false and baseless accusations, as a way to threaten and intimidate. Bell and others not to pursue their claims.

Linked to McManus, the lawsuit alleges that he, in addition to Madden, had direct knowledge of Bell’s January 2022 abuse allegations and failed to act to respond to or eradicate the allegations, although the formal complaint to the Diocese regarding Riley’s conduct has not been filed. until March.

The lawsuit also challenges the diocese’s choice of an independent investigator, Robert Hennigan, saying his diocesan connections make it clear he was not an impartial third party.

After receiving information regarding Bell’s abuse, as well as other similar complaints, the Diocese of Worcester and the Bishop had a duty to fully review and investigate, according to the lawsuit. The defendants did not act.

Follow John Lavenburg on Twitter: @johnlavenburg

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