BRIDGEPORT -- Federal Law Enforcement officials raided a Bridgeport nursing home this afternoon.
It comes as employees accuse the owner of Bridgeport Health Care Center of not paying them on time or at all. Federal agents could be seen carrying dozens of boxes, filing cabinets and other evidence out of the facility.
“I was informed just before 8 o’clock this morning there was a lot of activity with a lot of different federal looking vehicles that converged upon the back building,” said Sherrie Weller, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
The U.S. Attorneys Office in Connecticut confirmed the presence of federal agents at Bridgeport Health Care Center Tuesday without saying why.
Weller said it has to do with ongoing financial disputes between employees and the facility. Weller said nursing home owner Chaim Stern of New York City recently filed for bankruptcy and owes back taxes, pensions and wages.
Weller also said she receives calls from members at all hours of the day and night who can’t pay their bills because they haven’t received their paychecks or pensions and are facing financial distress including foreclosure.
“Bankruptcy filings, we have people that have been brought to court and are going to be experiencing foreclosures as well.”
Court documents show Bridgeport Health Care Center, Chaim and Miriam Stern are also being sued by a former employee for a pension of about $116,007.
“These members of shell lab for their three shifts day in and day out to take care of the residence and they are everyone’s first priority, Weller said.
FOX61 reached out to the nursing home owner but we have not heard back.
The U.S. Attorneys Office tells FOX61 News that they do not expect to make any arrests.