'The Conjuring' house owner issued stopwork order due to workers' comp insurance lapse
Nov 13, 2024
BURRILLVILLE, R.I. (WPRI) — The R.I. Department of Labor and Training (DLT) is forbidding anyone but the owner of "The Conjuring" house from working there after a series of complaints were filed by former employees.
Jacqueline Nuñez recently received a stop-work order from the DLT after an investigation into her business at the Round Top Road home, which has become a nationwide attraction thanks to "The Conjuring" franchise.
The DLT discovered that Nuñez has not had workers' compensation insurance for her employees since May, according to the stop-work order.
Nuñez, who bought the home two years ago for roughly $1.5 million, claims she was unaware that she needed the coverage. In a statement to 12 News, Nuñez said she plans on getting workers' compensation insurance for her general manager.
TARGET 12: ‘The Conjuring’ house owner fires employee, citing accusations from the beyond
The stop-work order will be in place until Nuñez complies and provides proof of insurance, according to the DLT. There's a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Nov. 26 on the matter.
"People are very determined to bring me and ["The Conjuring" house] down," Nuñez said.
The investigation into Nuñez and her business began back in August, when a former employee claimed he was fired after she accused him of stealing money.
Brian Dansereau said Nuñez told him the spirit of John Arnold — who owned the home with his wife Abigail in the 1800s — is the one who warned her of the supposed theft.
"She said, 'John Arnold told me you’ve been stealing money out of the cash box for the past two months,'" Dansereau said. "I literally stopped and I had to correct her like, 'John Arnold, one of the original owners?'"
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Dansereau, a former paramedic, denied the theft and filed a complaint with the DLT for unpaid wages, estimating that Nuñez owes him $9,000 for uncompensated work.
"This was going to be my sunset job," he continued. "In all my career, I’ve never been accused of stealing."
Nuñez, a self-described medium and channel, confirmed back then that she fired Dansereau based on what spirits had told her, but noted that her books back it up and show discrepancies between merchandise orders and cash sales.
"It does not matter whether you believe in the paranormal or not," Nuñez said at the time. "I and every person is entitled to experiences that bring understanding and meaning to our lives, including being informed or warned about wicked actors and actions."
In regards to Dansereau's complaint, the DLT said the matter is still under review "and will be for some time."
Nuñez’s entertainment license, meanwhile, is slated to expire in November. Burrillville Police Chief Stephen Lynch rejected Nuñez's application to renew her entertainment license for "The Conjuring" house because he found her submissions to be "inappropriate."
It is now in the hands of the Burrillville Town Council, which has the final say on whether Nuñez can renew her entertainment license. That decision is expected to be made next week.
Nuñez has also been accused of withholding an insurance payout from two other former employees after the barn next to "The Conjuring" house, which was filled with their possessions, caught fire. Additionally, the star of the hit TV show "Ghost Hunters" claims Nuñez is harassing him with false accusations that he was trespassing on her property.
This isn't the only legal trouble Nuñez is dealing with. The 61-year-old was charged with driving under the influence last month following a police pursuit through town. Her driver's license has since been suspended.
SEE ALSO: Bodycam footage shows ‘The Conjuring’ house owner’s arrest
Nuñez has argued that she wasn't drunk and didn't pull over right away because she was terrified of what the officers would do to her.
"I was sarcastic [during the field sobriety tests] because it was ridiculous," she continued. "I am not a criminal. I have never been arrested."
Her next court date on charges stemming from the DUI is scheduled for Dec. 17.
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