'I Hope In Death I Will Accomplish What I Could Not In Life'

LARCHMONT, NY — The firestorm created from a desperate mother's plea from beyond the grave has cost a prominent Westchester lawyer his job and raised questions about the unfair influence of money in court decisions.

A former federal prosecutor, believed to have died by assisted suicide in Switzerland, left behind a final message leveling accusations against her ex-husband and a "predatory" court system she was once a part of.

In a letter posted to Facebook on May 27, Catherine Kassenoff, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, announced she would die by assisted suicide in Switzerland. While the 54-year-old admitted in her post that her cancer prognosis was "dire," she blamed exhaustion in the face of an ongoing legal battle that left her without the legal right to see her daughters (ages 9, 12 and 13) for the decision to stop fighting a protracted medical battle.

"Perhaps if I had the physical endurance to keep going, I would," the attorney, who once served as special counsel to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, wrote. "I cannot survive this torment and the grief that comes from such a prolonged separation from my children. The court system did this to me … It is a predatory system that functions in darkness."

Kassenoff also directed her Facebook followers to a Dropbox link where she made available evidence to back up her claims, including court documents, medical records and video recordings. The link has since been disabled, but much of its contents have been seen by millions in TikTok videos that now have 10 million views after being posted by social media influencer @therobbieharvey who has built a viral following detailing the bitter family dispute.

Following the attention focused on the case after Kassenoff's presumed death, Allan Kassenoff initially took a leave of absence from his high profile job at the international law firm Greenberg Traurig to "focus on his family."

"Allan Kassenoff has been involved in a divorce and custody matter that has been going on for more than 4 years," his firm said in a statement released on June 2. "After lengthy trials and reviewing all the facts, including some videos, none of the 4 judges who presided over the trials or the 2 court-appointed neutral forensic evaluators found him to have committed wrongdoing or abuse as to his children or the contended domestic violence, and instead awarded him sole legal and physical custody of their three children. Nevertheless, the firm will be conducting its own investigation to determine his status with the firm."

On Sunday, the firm announced that it had completed its investigation and that Kassenoff has resigned from the firm effective immediately.

"The firm is sensitive to the needs of the three children, the primary victims of the situation, and therefore will be creating a dedicated trust fund with an independent trustee for the sole benefit of these children, to be voluntarily funded by the lawyers and staff of our firm," Greenberg Traurig said in a statement announcing the separation. "We wish healing and privacy to the children during this very difficult situation."

According to the latest guidance from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, if you or someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide:

• Do not leave the person alone.
• Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.
• Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
• Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.