Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Queens Condo Doorman Claims Super Called Him N-Word AND Tried To Make Out With Him
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 14, 2012
Modified Nov 14, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 14, 2012
Modified Nov 14, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A doorman at an upscale Queens condo says that he was fired after complainig about the building's superintendent—a super he claims couldn't make up his mind whether he wanted to sexually harass him or just harass him with racial epithets. Jerry Laraque claims he was fired from The Foundry in Long Island City after he complained for board members and the property manager that super John Olivieri continually harassed him. That included calling Laraque a "n-----," "monkey," a "black piece of s---," and mocking his Haitian accent and his "big Chicago lips.” And it ALSO included Olivieri allegedly soliciting him for oral sex and twice trying to stick his tongue in Laraque's mouth.
Laraque, who started working at the building as a security guard in 2008 and was promoted to doorman after a few months, said the harassment allegedly started when Olivieri was a painting contractor for the building, and got worse when he was promoted to super. "He humiliated me many times," Laraque told the News, adding that he complained to many people around the building to no avail. "They sent me to the management, back-and-forth, and nothing was done. They don't take it seriously."
Property manager Robert Swiderski says Laraque was fired for poor performance and getting into an argument with another building worker. But Laraque says Swiderski ignored his frequent complaints, saying "I'm not listening to you," and "This is bull----." Perhaps Swiderski thought this was all just another case of a doorman's "seriously misguided effort to be social."
Tagged
doorman
Jerry Laraque
long island city
queens
racism
sexual harassment
the foundry
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
New York Public Radio CEO steps down after 8 months on job
Chief executive Christy Tanner is resigning after just eight months at the helm. New York Public Radio is the parent organization for WNYC and Gothamist.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Oct 13, 2026 at 9:03 a.m. ET
Early Addition: Can't stop the sticker bombers
Because the one influencer who tried removing them got dragged, here are your early links: Upper West Side woman adopts a lot of dogs, Big Apple Triathlon returned, "NCIS" lands in New York and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: Can't stop the sticker bombers
Because the one influencer who tried removing them got dragged, here are your early links: Upper West Side woman adopts a lot of dogs, Big Apple Triathlon returned, "NCIS" lands in New York and more.
By
James Ramsay
Cyclist dies in wrong-way crash with an ambulance on Staten Island
By
Brittany Kriegstein
With election 3 weeks away, Hochul and Blakeman to square off in lone NY governor debate
By
Jon Campbell
NYC's taxi union teams with Uber, hedge fund demand healthcare after 4 driver deaths
By
Stephen Nessen
and
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .