Law Firm Manager Accused Of Sexually Harassing Mass Shooting Survivors

A visitor takes in the scene at the memorial to the 49 shooting victims setup at the Pulse nightclub where the shootings took place two years ago on June 12, 2018 in Orlando, Florida

A manager at a law firm in New Jersey is accused of sexually harassing two victims of the horrific Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. Javier Nava and Brian Nunez claim that they were contacted by John Groff, who works as the office and marketing manager for the Conrad Benedetto law firm not long after the mass shooting. He told them that they both "had viable legal causes of action based on their presence" at Pulse. 

Groff even set up a Facebook page called "Survivors of Mass Shootings," which he used to find clients for the law firm.

The two men allege that not long after agreeing to become clients of the law firm Groff started reaching out to them in an attempt to establish "personal relationships and to groom them" for sexual harassment, according to the lawsuit. Groff told them the law firm would fly them to New Jersey and cover all their expenses. 

But, when they arrived in New Jersey they quickly realized that Groff was more interested in having sexual relations with them than helping them with their legal case. He sent them "sexually explicit text messages and pornographic images in attempts to entice (the men) to enter into a sexual relationship with him."

When they rebuffed his advances, Groff allegedly "threatened to withhold money for lodging, transportation, and food." 

Groff denied the allegations, issuing a statement saying that the "legal complaint is full of incorrect facts."

"I worked with Javier Nava and Brian Nunez to give them an opportunity to find healing with other people who were the victims of mass shootings. At no point during our interactions -- which were always friendly and informal -- did Javier or Brian give me any sense that they had a problem. I believe this legal complaint is full of incorrect facts and serves as nothing more than an attempt to destroy my professional reputation. I look forward to the opportunity to correct the record and prove that this lawsuit has no merit."

Photo: Getty Images


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