Recovery Center’s CEO Faces Accusations of Sexual Misconduct

AUDIO – FROM CASH TO CRASH –

March 22, 2022 – Elizabeth is not alone. An NHPR investigation has discovered multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, abusive leadership, and retaliation by Spofford while he was CEO of GRC.

A former GRC employee told NHPR that in 2018, Spofford sexually assaulted her during the workday. In 2020, according to multiple sources, another GRC employee told several colleagues that Spofford had sexually assaulted her, leading some of them, including the chief operating officer, to quit the company. Multiple sources say Spofford told them he negotiated a paid settlement with this employee that had the effect of silencing her.

GRC is the largest provider of substance use disorder treatment in New Hampshire and serves thousands of people across New England each year, at a time when the need for treatment continues to outpace availability. Many clients, including some who spoke with NHPR, say they have GRC to thank for their recovery.

But in interviews with nearly 50 former clients, current and past employees, and others in New Hampshire’s recovery community, a dark portrait emerges of Spofford as a polarizing figure who preyed on vulnerable people and wielded his power to avoid consequences.