Ex emailed Catherine Kassenoff that he ‘will never stop’ before her assisted suicide
Westchester attorney and mother, Catherine Kassenoff, allegedly died by assisted suicide in Switzerland after a long and brutal custody battle with her ex-husband, Allan Kassenoff, who is also an attorney. According to a copy of an email sent by Allan to Catherine on March 19, he stated that her goal was to “destroy” him in hopes he would stop protecting their three children from her. Catherine alleged that Allan was the villain and her public suicide note posted on Facebook on May 27 claimed that she decided to die due to Allan’s alleged abuse and a “predatory” court system that cut her off from her girls. Catherine posted a Dropbox folder that included thousands of court filings, medical records, videos, and more to show that her kids were taken away as a result of “unfair rulings.” Friends and family have not heard from Catherine since she posted the suicide note. Attorney Wayne Baker, the executor of Catherine’s estate, said he is awaiting definitive confirmation of her death, which could take four to six weeks.
FAQs:
What was the cause of Catherine Kassenoff’s death?
Catherine Kassenoff allegedly died by assisted suicide in Switzerland after a long and brutal custody battle.
Who was Catherine Kassenoff’s ex-husband?
Catherine Kassenoff’s ex-husband was Allan Kassenoff, who is also an attorney.
What was the reason for Catherine Kassenoff’s assisted suicide?
According to her public suicide note posted on Facebook on May 27, Catherine decided to die due to Allan’s alleged abuse and a “predatory” court system that cut her off from her girls.
What did Catherine Kassenoff post in the Dropbox folder?
Catherine Kassenoff posted thousands of court filings, medical records, videos, and more to show that her kids were taken away as a result of “unfair rulings.”
Has Allan Kassenoff made any statements?
Allan Kassenoff’s attorney Gus Dimopoulous denied that the court acted unfairly in favor of his client. The firm is conducting an internal investigation into the situation. Following his ex-wife’s apparent suicide, Allan took a voluntary leave of absence from his employer, the law firm Greenberg Traurig, to focus on his family.
Is there a counseling service for mental health crisis?
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
Ex contacted Catherine Kassenoff stating that he ‘will never give up’ prior to her assisted suicide.
Catherine Kassenoff, a Westchester attorney and mother, allegedly took her own life in an assisted suicide following a long and brutal custody battle. Before her death, her ex-husband, Allan Kassenoff, an attorney, emailed her that he would “never stop protecting” their three children from her just a few months earlier. In the email posted online by Catherine and obtained by the Daily Mail, Allan claimed that Catherine’s goal was to “destroy” him in hopes that he would stop trying to protect their three girls from her.
On May 27, Catherine reportedly died by assisted suicide in Switzerland, according to a now-deleted suicide note she posted on Facebook the same day. In the note, she claimed Allan was the villain and detailed his alleged abuse and the “predatory” court system that cut her off from her girls, ages 9, 12 and 13, in 2018. Catherine also posted a Dropbox folder that included the email as well as thousands of court filings, medical records, videos, and more to show that her kids were taken away as a result of “unfair rulings.”
Allan had also emailed that all his ex knew was “hate and vengeance” against him. “Instead of focusing on getting help, you have focused your rage on destroying me,” he claimed in the email. Videos Catherine posted online, that were later shared on TikTok, however, show Allan as the one throwing the word “hate” around.
The mother was denied visits with her daughters, despite having no criminal history, mental health issues or history of substance misuse, she claimed. “I cannot survive this torment and the grief that comes from such a prolonged separation from my children,” she wrote in her suicide note. “The court system did this to me … It is a predatory system that functions in darkness.”
In the time before her death, the court found that at least some of Catherine’s allegations about the “unfair” custody proceedings were true. The custody evaluator who recommended Allan get sole custody of their girls was removed from a number of courts after photos surfaced of the judge presiding over the custody case officiating the evaluator’s wedding. And the same month that Allan emailed Catherine, the family’s therapist issued a report urging the court to give the mother more time with her daughters, according to a document in the defunct Dropbox files.
Allan took a voluntary leave of absence from his employer, the law firm Greenberg Traurig, to focus on his family following his ex-wife’s apparent suicide. The firm is conducting an internal investigation into the situation, it said in a statement. Allan’s attorney Gus Dimopoulous denied that the court acted unfairly in favor of his client when reached by The Post. “At every stage of this four-year custody dispute, the court system has acted responsibly and thoroughly,” he said in a statement.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.