Nuns accuse domestic violence shelter boss of spending facility’s cash on pricey dinners, luxe shopping sprees
The former director of an embattled Hells Kitchen domestic violence shelter spent the facility’s cash on pricey dinners and luxe shopping sprees, according to court papers.
At least $60,000 has gone missing under Deborah Pollock’s watch, claim the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, who opened the Dwelling Place in 1977 — but were hauled into court last week after they abruptly shuttered the facility.
Pollock allegedly spent more than $1,400 on four dinners at Carmine’s between March 2022 and January; splashed out money at Bergdorf’s last year and Nordstroms.
When the nuns fired Pollock, 64, on June 12, their heavenly mission to help desperate women went straight to hell — with the sisters falsely accused of booting the facility’s abused and destitute residents.
“We don’t want anyone else or any other organization to be blindsided by Deborah Pollock,” said Sister Margaret Magee, congregational minister of the nuns, who appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court last week with two colleagues defending the nuns’ decision to close the shelter.
The elderly sisters, who fled the city during the coronavirus pandemic, hired Pollock in 2020 without a background check.
The director, who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $300,000 in a welfare fraud scheme in 2001, allegedly let shelter bills go unpaid for months; lied about how many women were living there, and continues to solicit donations after her firing, the nuns contend.
The nuns said they tried and failed to replace Pollock, and that her interference forced them to shut down the program.
The nuns claim Pollock and a loyal underling is “essentially holding the women residents hostage for their own financial gain,” and that when they tried to speak to residents during a July 12 visit, Pollock “screamed and cursed at those that entered, called the police, and claimed she was having a heart attack and called an ambulance.
“She essentially took over the business of the Dwelling Place by being there every day and interfering with the employees and the residents. … We received allegations that she has rented out rooms for payment,” the nuns said in Manhattan Supreme Court papers.
Pollock, who has refused to leave the West 40th Street shelter building where she lives, has “threatened to evict residents if they didn’t follow her commands; she would give favors to residents she liked; she would scream at employees,” the sisters claimed in court papers, saying employees came forward with such accusations after Pollock was terminated.
The nuns were alerted to the missing cash in March by a Dwelling Place board member.
Pollock was even cautioned to stop frivolous spending in January when problems meeting the shelter’s payroll arose, an email obtained by The Post showed.
“These funds should only be used for payroll and essential bills. Need to stop the endless Amazon charges as well as Netflix, HBO, etc should be canceled. We will find ourselves right back in this same position next week,” warned board member Kim Vaccari in January.
During her tenure, the shelter racked up $20,000 in unpaid electricity bills, $10,000 in heating oil bills, and other expenses such as debts for internet, phone, cable, and exterminating and security services, the Franciscan Sisters said in court papers.
In addition, Pollock “was never able to give a real accounting” of what was raised at the shelter’s annual gala, and “there are also promised prizes missing from the silent auction, like a cruise vacation. Pollock also could not give a list of grants or their requirements,” according to court papers.
“When Pollock was asked on virtual Board meetings to provide receipts or explanations for the $60,000 in cash used, she would abruptly quit meetings and not answer the Board’s questions.
“Basically, we believe the money lost to Pollock will be far more than $60,000 in unsubstantiated cash,” said the nuns.
The nuns were sued last week by City Councilman Erik Bottcher and a resident in a bid to keep the place open.
Arthur Schwartz, a lawyer representing the residents, said meetings are now underway with local officials and the Archdiocese to find a new service provider for the shelter.
The lavish expenses cited by the nuns were gifts Pollock bought for women and the staff, he said.
Pollock slammed the allegations as a “blatant lie,” telling The Post she bought, but then returned, Christmas gifts for staff at Bergdorf’s and brought in food from Carmine’s for two parties for one of the nuns, and that the expense was approved by the facility’s board of directors.
She insisted in court papers that she “had very little to do with finances,” adding “there was no proof that I had done anything wrong.”
