Three former residents of St. Basil Academy have cleared a legal hurdle in civil lawsuits against the academy and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, after a New York State judge denied motions seeking to dismiss their Child Victims Act claims, according to a June 4, 2026, announcement from Parker Waichman LLP, the law firm representing the plaintiffs.
The firm said the ruling allows the former residents, who allege they were sexually abused as children while living at St. Basil Academy in Garrison, New York, to continue pursuing their claims in court.
The ruling does not decide whether the allegations are true. It allows the cases to proceed.
Among the former residents, Christopher Bowen has spoken publicly about his experience. Bowen, now 55, lived at St. Basil Academy from 1982 to 1987, from the ages of 12 to 17, after the death of his mother. In an interview with The National Herald, reprinted by BishopAccountability.org, he said he suffered sexual, physical, and emotional abuse while living at the Greek Orthodox institution.
Bowen identified his alleged abuser as Finley Everett Eubanks, a former music and religion teacher, dorm supervisor, and office administrator at St. Basil Academy. Bowen first spoke with the newspaper about Eubanks in November 2024. Eubanks worked at the academy between 1981 and 1987 and died in 2002, Bowen told the newspaper.
The lawsuits were filed under New York’s Child Victims Act, a 2019 law that gave survivors of childhood sexual abuse more time to bring civil claims. The law also opened a temporary window for older claims that had previously been blocked by statutes of limitations.
Bowen said the case had been delayed for years, including during the discovery process. At the time of the interview, he said his legal team had filed a note of issue and readiness for trial on October 29, 2025, and that he hoped a trial date would be set soon.
He also said the abuse affected his mental health for decades. In the interview, Bowen described years of depression, anxiety, and difficulty processing what had happened to him as a child. He said therapy later helped him recognize the abuse and begin to work through its effects.
St. Basil Academy holds a familiar place in Greek-American life. Founded as a home for children in need, it has long been supported by parishes, donors, Philoptochos chapters, and families across the Greek Orthodox community. For generations of Greek Americans, it has been associated with church charity and care for children without stable family support.
That history now sits beside allegations from former residents who say they were harmed while living there.
In the same report, St. Basil Academy, one of the institutional defendants, said it takes allegations of sexual misconduct seriously, especially those involving children. The academy said it “absolutely condemns any form of sexual abuse” and remains committed to the safety, dignity, and well-being of every child in its care.
The academy also noted that the allegations involve events said to have happened more than 40 years ago.
“We believe we have strong defenses to these allegations, and we will address them respectfully and appropriately through the judicial process,” the statement said.
The June 4 announcement did not identify the three plaintiffs by name. In the broader litigation, the same report said Bowen and four other former students, who did not wish to be named, are involved in legal cases connected to alleged abuse at St. Basil Academy.
“This case is about accountability,” Brett Zekowski, a partner at Parker Waichman LLP, said in the firm’s June 4 announcement. “Institutions that care for children have a profound responsibility to protect them.”
For the Greek-American community, the case is difficult because St. Basil Academy is woven into the community’s religious and philanthropic memory. Former residents who say they were harmed are now seeking to have their claims heard before a jury.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and the institutional defendants have not been found liable.