A former student of the now-defunct Family Foundation School in New York has alleged severe abuse during his time at the private boarding school, including being forced to dig his own grave, eat vomit and attend 'sexualised group sessions' with teachers.
The claims have been laid out in court documents filed by the survivor, who attended the boarding school between 2000 and 2003.
The private institution, which reportedly charged families up to $80,000 annually, operated in Hancock, a small village in upstate New York, before shutting down in 2014.
The survivor has filed a $10 million civil lawsuit naming the Argiros family, who ran the boarding school, along with the village of Hancock, local police, and other individuals and entities linked to the institution.
The survivor described what he says was a pattern of extreme disciplinary practices used on students at the facility, including being locked in closets, strip searched, and forced to dig their own graves.
According to the court filing, students were subjected to forced labour 'for the direct financial benefit' of the Argiros family, and were made to participate in 'sexualised group sessions' with teachers.
The lawsuit also alleges that local authorities ignored complaints of abuse due to the 'influence' of owners Michael and Cindy Argiros.
The survivor has alleged that families were misled into placing children at the institution and later encouraged to transfer legal guardianship to the Argiros family.
He further claimed the school was run by individuals described as 'former alcoholics and self-identified sex addicts with no professional licensing, clinical training, or educational credentials.'
