Brenda Pellettieri says she felt “stunned and betrayed” upon discovering that her former co-worker, Sanjai Syamaprasad, was charged with secretly and illegally recording people in the bathrooms at their workplace.
The shocking revelation came to light at Northwell Health’s Sleep Disorder Center and Stars Rehabilitation Center. Nassau County Police revealed that 47-year-old Syamaprasad used fake smoke detectors embedded with hidden cameras, which he attached inside the bathrooms with Velcro patches — some placed on the ceilings directly above the toilets.
“We were sick, actually. We were all sick crying,” Brenda said. “We really just want to know where did our videos go?”
Brenda was deeply disturbed when she noticed the Velcro patches scattered throughout the bathrooms, realizing the full extent of the invasion of privacy.
“I’m so angry about it. It’s embarrassing. It’s disgusting,” Brenda said.
Brenda Pellettieri is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit filed against Northwell Health and Syamaprasad, alleging negligence on the part of the hospital and the sleep center.
Joel Rubenstein, attorney with German Rubenstein LLP representing the plaintiffs, said, “We’re suing for the negligence of the hospital, the sleep center.”
The scandal was uncovered in April of last year when another employee caught Syamaprasad watching someone using the bathroom on his laptop, prompting a police investigation. Despite the discovery, patients were not notified of the illegal recordings until a full year later.
Brenda, who was also a patient at the center, only received notification letters from Northwell this past May. According to the letter, Syamaprasad purchased the hidden cameras in August 2022, but the exact length of time the recordings took place remains unknown. Rubenstein estimates that approximately 13,000 letters were sent to those potentially affected.
“They’ve expressed how violated they feel and how afraid they are of public restrooms and changing rooms,” Rubenstein said.
Northwell Health issued a statement affirming their response saying, “We immediately revoked that individual’s access to our premises, reported him to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, and have fully cooperated with the DA’s Office. Safeguarding the privacy of our patients and employees will always remain a high priority for us.”
Syamaprasad has been charged with five counts of unlawful surveillance and tampering with evidence by the Nassau District Attorney’s Office. Yet, despite legal action, Brenda says the incident has left a lasting impact on her peace of mind.
“I just feel so disgusted that I was videotaped. It affected my life in ways that I can’t even tell you,” she said.
An attorney for Syamaprasad declined to comment for this article.
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