Andrew Witkoff Death & Obiruary: The CEO and clinical director of One80 Centre were dismissed on Thursday following an exposé by The Hollywood Reporter that revealed questionable treatment procedures at the rehabilitation center. The center is now facing legal action from the parents of a former client, Andrew Witkoff, who tragically passed away at the age of 22 from an OxyContin overdose.
Background of the Case
Andrew Witkoff, the son of wealthy Manhattan real estate billionaire Steven Witkoff and his wife Lauren, passed away two years ago at the Sunset Plaza Drive sober living home. The Witkoff family is suing One80 Centre for fraud, negligence, and wrongful death. The lawsuit also names co-founder Justin Carroll, his wife and former clinical director Bernadine Fried, and fired CEO Alex Shohet.
Allegations in the Lawsuit
According to the complaint filed on August 9, the institution allowed Andrew Witkoff to leave unsupervised, skip urine tests, and purchase illegal substances online while he was a resident. The complaint claims that clients were given “inappropriate levels of freedom and lazy and inadequate supervision.”
The Witkoffs also allege that their son’s $1,000-a-day sober companion was incompetent and untrained. The companion, a man in recovery from alcoholism, received minimal on-the-job training and no formal training in substance misuse counseling and treatment.
Legal and Ethical Implications
Robert Gold, a New York lawyer representing the Witkoff family, emphasized that the goal of the lawsuit is to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies, rather than to seek financial compensation. He stated, “Their sole motivation for filing this lawsuit is to shield other families from losing loved ones to addiction at the hands of powerful individuals in the recovery sector who show an unacceptable lack of concern for the best interests of their clients.”
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Conclusion
The dismissal of the CEO and clinical director of One80 Centre highlights significant concerns about the standards and practices within the rehabilitation industry. The legal action taken by the Witkoff family aims to bring about necessary changes and ensure that other families do not suffer similar losses. As the case unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adequate supervision and proper training in addiction treatment facilities.