From the Complaint filed Thursday in Avodah Farms v. O’Hara-Rusckowski (D. Colo.):
Avodah was fashioned in February 2020. It really works to revive and reintegrate girls survivors of intercourse trafficking (“survivors”) via complete, Christ-centered care offered by Catholic non secular sisters and faith-filled neighborhood. Avodah conducts its non-profit missionary work throughout america….
Throughout the related occasions giving rise to this motion, Rusckowski was a member of the Board of Councillors for the American Affiliation of Malta, a Delegate and Particular Advisor on Human Trafficking to the Ambassador for the Order of Malta on the United Nations….
In 2021, Rusckowski linked Avodah and Fitzpatrick to the Oblates, a spiritual order searching for to promote to Avodah sure actual property positioned at 27 Kirk Road, Lowell, Massachusetts (the “Lowell Residence”). The Lowell Residence was meant for use as protected housing for survivors, their kids, and spiritual Sisters who had contracted with Avodah to take care of the survivors….
Regardless of having donated vital funds to Avodah for the precise goal of supporting Avodah’s mission, Defendants possessed no authorized proper or property pursuits which might allow them to exert management or decision-making authority over the event of the Lowell Residence. Regardless of this, Defendants via their actions, phrases, and conduct undertook substantial efforts to illegally power the Plaintiffs to desert the mission so Defendants might implement their new imaginative and prescient…..
Rusckowski and the Malta Defendants initiated a smear marketing campaign towards Plaintiffs.
Rusckowski, utilized her influential place with the Catholic neighborhood to make knowingly false and defamatory statements to 3rd events that Avodah was “stealing” and “misappropriating” donor funds. Rusckowski additional acknowledged to 3rd events that Avodah was “labor trafficking” non secular Sisters. The statements have been false and/or made with reckless disregard for his or her falsity with the intent that they be acted upon, relied upon, and in any other case disseminated.
Within the winter of 2023, Defendants made oral and/or written statements to representatives of the Archdiocese of Denver that Avodah had “misappropriated” donor and investor funds and was “labor trafficking” Sisters. On the time these statements have been made, Defendants knew the statements have been false and made them with reckless disregard for his or her falsity with the intent that they be acted upon, relied upon, and in any other case disseminated….
Defendants’ actions and statements interfered with Avodah’s nonprofit work by inflicting the Archdiocese of Denver to disavow Avodah as a Catholic group [and also in other ways discussed in the Complaint -EV], inflicting Plaintiffs to incur vital and extreme accidents, damages and losses.
In February 2023, Rusckowski relayed the above defamatory statements to Kristen Meyer, an influential Catholic chief, who thereafter despatched written correspondence to different third-parties stating: “If Keenan [Fitzpatrick] approached you or stewards for cash or if he’s an intruder in any means it is best to maintain him far-off. He scammed our good mates out of 500k and is satirically and sadly trafficking non secular sisters. Completely satisfied to debate additional.” The statements have been false and/or made with reckless disregard for his or her falsity. Rusckowski knew the statements have been false when she made them to Ms. Meyer.
On or about February 19, 2023, Rusckowski despatched a bunch textual content to a community of potential Avodah donors, together with Fitzpatrick, stating that Rusckowski and Malta had lower ties with Avodah and additional stating: “[u]nfortunately, the wrongdoer remains to be on our “Mates of Deb” Checklist – [Fitzpatrick] is NO buddy – extra demon than buddy!! I’ll create one other checklist for simply TRUE Mates of Deb!” The assertion that Fitzpatrick was a demon was false, and made with reckless disregard for its falsity, inflicting Plaintiffs to incur vital and extreme accidents, damages and losses.
Within the spring of 2023, Rusckowski known as a companion of Avodah and distinguished third-party determine inside the Catholic neighborhood and nationwide anti-trafficking area and acknowledged “Avodah and Fitzpatrick misappropriated funds and have been labor trafficking non secular sisters who Avodah employed to take care of victims of intercourse trafficking”. The statements have been false and/or made with reckless disregard for his or her falsity. On the time the statements have been made, Rusckowski knew the statements have been false….
I can not converse to the accuracy of any of those allegations, and thus about whether or not a defamation case can go ahead as to most of them. However I’m fairly assured that the declare {that a} secular court docket is not going to resolve whether or not “[t]he assertion that Fitzpatrick was a demon was false.”
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