Queens Defenders CEO and founder Lori Zeno forced out on leave; husband fired

Lori Zeno, the enforcement manager and laminitis of Queens Defenders, a large nonprofit which correspond indigent defendants, was placed connected forced permission Friday greeting and her hubby was fired, sources acquainted with the series said.

Zeno was barred from the nonprofit’s Queens Blvd. offices and her husband, Rashad Ruhani, identified arsenic a elder ineligible advocate, was fired, the sources said.

“As a effect of accusation received by the board, Lori Zeno has been placed connected permission immediately and is not allowed connected immoderate Queens Defenders property,” according to an interior email sent Friday greeting obtained by The News.

“Any attempts of [sic] interaction oregon intimidation should beryllium reported to this email immediately.”

The contiguous crushed for the suspension of Zeno, whose yearly wage is $434,791 according to records, and the firings was not wholly clear. Queens Defenders did not respond to repeated emails connected Friday.

Two different employees of the nonprofit, Teyana Reyes and Ureka Washington, were besides fired, the sources said.

The interior email refers employees who privation to record a ailment to contact the authorities Attorney General’s office, which oversees nonprofits. In a statement, Alexis Richards, a spokeswoman with the AG’s office, said, “The Office of the Attorney General does not remark connected ongoing investigations.”

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz is pictured astatine Queens Criminal Court successful Queens connected Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Shawn Inglima / New York Daily News)

The upheaval was archetypal reported aboriginal Friday day by the Queens Daily Eagle.

Zeno did not respond to telephone messages. Ruhani could not beryllium reached.

“Within the adjacent fewer days, a enactment squad volition beryllium chosen and a reappraisal of worker relations conduct,” the email said. “In the coming days, determination volition beryllium a gathering wherever the employees volition beryllium capable to talk to the committee directly.”

Last year, Zeno was criticized by a national representing nationalist defenders for firing 2 lawyers successful the midst of a national election. The Association of Legal Aid Attorneys called it “heavy-handed national busting connected the portion of Ms. Zeno.”

In 2021, The News reported that Zeno informed her unit that 1 of their colleagues had COVID, but didn’t disclose it was really her for 3 days.