A married New York doctor has accused his former mistress, an exotic dancer, of blackmailing him and threatening his family, including his father-in-law, according to explosive texts filed in court.
Dr. Keith Hoerning, 51, is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit filed against him and his wife, Nicole, by Rosana Kissoon, 39. Hoerning claims Kissoon demanded money for months to keep their alleged affair secret and resorted to threats when their relationship soured.
In court filings, Hoerning described the relationship as "the worst mistake of my life" and asserted that the substantial sums he provided were not gifts but payments made in response to Kissoon's increasingly volatile demands. He alleges that Kissoon threatened to "end" his family and have his father-in-law killed if he did not comply.
Kissoon, in her lawsuit filed last month, alleged that Hoerning pursued her for 18 months, showered her with financial support, and promised to leave his wife. She claims that after she exposed the relationship to Nicole Hoerning, the doctor attempted to have her arrested and sought a restraining order by falsely portraying her as a threat.
Screenshots of alleged text exchanges included with Hoerning's filing show Kissoon's alleged threats escalating. In one exchange, she reportedly asks, "Are u willing to pay me to let this go and leave u alone?" followed by "I want u dead" and "If i have be with u I'll end ur family."
Hoerning's attorneys argue that these messages demonstrate Kissoon's alleged use of disclosure threats to extract money, a claim Kissoon previously disputed by characterizing the payments as voluntary support. The filings also allegedly show arguments over money, with Kissoon reportedly writing, "I want it all...You said you will pay for my car... It will be a price ok."
Hoerning states he eventually hired an attorney, ended the relationship, and stopped yielding to Kissoon's alleged threats. His legal team contends that Kissoon's lawsuit is an attempt to continue harassing him publicly and is legally deficient.
The Hoernings are requesting the judge dismiss all four of Kissoon's claims and are asking that her case be classified as a SLAPP suit, which could require Kissoon to pay their legal fees and other damages.
Kissoon is seeking over $1 million in damages, accusing the Hoernings of abusing the legal process, defamation, and intentionally causing emotional distress. Her attorney previously stated that Kissoon believed Hoerning's promises of a future together and felt victimized by the legal actions taken against her.