A lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court on July 31, 2024, alleges that two individuals defamed a woman by making false and malicious statements about her. The plaintiff, Stephanie Correa, acting as her own attorney, has accused Barbara Verdries and Diane Rossi of slandering her name and reputation.

According to the complaint, the conflict began when Verdries and her daughter purchased a condominium unit in Century Village East (CVE), an over-55 community in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Ms. Correa also owns a unit in the same complex and serves as the President of the Westbury J Condominium Association. The situation escalated when Gladys Rossi and her husband Danny were admitted to Boca Circle Care facility after suffering falls in March 2024. During this time, Ms. Correa started assisting Gladys with various tasks, including helping her pay bills.

The allegations state that on June 28, 2024, Verdries and Rossi visited Gladys at Boca Circle Care facility and made several defamatory statements to both staff members and Gladys herself. They accused Ms. Correa of stealing Gladys’ checkbook and falsely claimed that she was not a lawyer and was being removed from the board of Westbury J Condominium Association. These accusations reportedly led to significant emotional distress for Ms. Correa and damaged her relationship with Gladys.