Canadian museum director accused of theft
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The Philadelphia Art Museum is accusing its former Canadian director of stealing funds through unauthorized pay increases, and then lying about it.
Court documents filed on behalf of the museum deny claims in Sasha Suda’s wrongful dismissal suit as “meritless” and “delusional” and argue the museum had cause to end the five-year agreement early.
It wants the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas to move the matter into confidential arbitration, instead of a jury trial sought by the Orillia, Ont.-born Suda, who is seeking two years of severance pay and other damages.
It says Suda negotiated an annual salary of US$720,000 in an agreement signed in June 2022, when she left her post as director of the National Gallery of Canada, where she had earned approximately US$147,000.
The petition, filed Nov. 20, says Suda was told not to expect more money but repeatedly asked the board’s compensation committee to approve pay increases, which were refused. It alleges Suda took the money anyway, violating her contract.
Suda’s suit, filed Nov. 10, claims she was fired after a “sham investigation” into “pre-cleared” expenses and a “proper” three per cent cost-of-living increase that was “consistent with standard practice.”
It said the hike amounted to US$39,000 over two years.
None of the allegations have been tested in court.
The museum said it would not comment further.
In an emailed statement, Suda’s lawyer dismissed the museum’s account as false and accused it of trying “to hide the sordid details about its unlawful treatment of Sasha Suda in a confidential arbitration.”
“If the museum had nothing to hide, it would not be afraid to litigate in state court where we filed the case,” said Luke Nikas, a partner with the New York firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP.
Suda’s U.S. stint ended prematurely when the museum released a terse statement announcing she was no longer director and CEO as of Nov. 4.
» The Canadian Press