Author of Book on Using Canine Training for Men Sues Bad Dog

Karen Salmansohn, the $200-an-hour life coach and author of such self-help books as How to Make Your Man Behave in 21 Days or Less Using the Secrets of Successful Dog Trainers, has filed a lawsuit against one Long Island man who just couldn't be housebroken. According to her lawsuit, Salmansohn, 49, met Mitchell Leff, the Laundromat king of Long Island, at Pastis one morning last August. Romance blossomed, and when Leff revealed that he was separated from his wife, he quickly barked that he was filing for divorce. On their second date, Salmansohn told him she wanted a child, and Leff allegedly wagged his tail happily. But after getting engaged ($10K Tiffany ring!) and breeding successfully in December, she says Leff essentially peed all over her rug and ran.

"I may be a self-help expert, but I'm not a psychic," Salmansohn tells the Daily News. "It was a great surprise that he broke his emotional and financial commitment." She claims that within 24 hours of informing Leff of her pregnancy, he told her to get an abortion because he was too old to start a family. He allegedly left behind "piles of unpaid medical bills" after he bankrolled over $28,000 in fertility treatments, and spent "lavishly" so Salmansohn could make her Chelsea home kid-friendly. "Who goes to a fertility clinic and spends nearly $30,000, then walks away?" Salmansohn asks.

Then she found out that the guy who once said he wished "aliens would come down and remove my wife so I could marry you right away" never actually filed for divorce. And according to the lawsuit, for the past 30 years, much of his income came from working as a bookie! "It was a shock on top of a shock on top of a shock," Salmansohn says. She refused to get an abortion, and now she's coming after Leff with the rolled-up newspaper and a can of pennies to force him to make good on his "oral contract."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on March 9, 2010 8:58 AM

Comments [rss]

susanc

Karen was Mitchell Leff's very openly seen fiance. Leff had been broken up with his ex-wife for nealry 2 years when he met Karen. He had already had a 7 month relaitonship with someone else - and his exwife had a boyfriend. Karen and Leff were very openly engaged. Karen and Leff celebrated their engagement with family and friends. Leff moved in with Karen and was living with her fulltime in her apartment. Karenwasnt some cheating mistress. You can read the full story at huffingtonpost here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-salmansohn/one-girls-story-about-get_b_526529.html

susanc

This article is full of sensationalized lies! It's amazing how journalists have been falsely reporting this story! The true story is up on Huffingtonpost. It says how on their second date, Karen told Leff that she didnt want to date men who dont want children - and if he didnt want kids they shouldnt date. Leff said he loved being a dad - and loved the idea of more kids so Karen continued to date him. He then proposed marriage - and the two were publicly engaged. Leff moved into Karen's apartment. Leff then paid 28 K in IVF for Karen to have his child - because he was excited to have her child.

Basically only a SOCIOPATH would pay 28 K to pursue IVF if he didnt want to have the child - and Leff then told Karen he didnt want their child once the IVF was uscccesful. He then left Karen with lots of unpaid medical bills and other expenses.

Leff did not bail on Karen's baby because of his ex-wife. He's still in the process of divorcing her. And Leff is very active on dating sites - as Karen found out when 1 week after being pregnant she found him on a site - using the profile name CITYBOY2002 - which means Leff cheated on his ex-wife as well - because he was married in2002 - and the photo he uses on his profile was taken in his MARITAL HOME - with his marital bedroom seen in the background of the photo.

I hope Karen wins this courtcase. This Mitchell Leff is a sociopath who duped Karen with his false promises. I dont blame her for thinking Leff wanted to marry her and have a familywith her. He have ger a Tifanny's ring, paid 28 K for IVF, moved in with Karen - and paid for family friendly home renovations because he told her he wanted to have a family with her! Of course she believed him!

Dominique

Wow, looks like this lady screwed the pooch....

Sorry, couldn't resist.

NannyState

That 'ol cougar's been sneaking around the kennels again.

Gilbert

Manitoba:

"Sounds to me like she didn't want kids and live the "Sex and the City" lifestyle, suddenly to realize in her mid-40s that her life was meaningless."

So because a person chooses not to have children, their life is meaningless? I think you are dumber than she is. I have no children, and I'm quite content.

chuzzlewit

think all your facebook friends are gonna come runnin to change your adult diapers when its time? the "like" button will be a phantom limb....

Gilbert

No, I wouldn't want to burden anybody like that, even if I had children. I wouldn't even want to be alive at that time. so is that the only reason you have child/children is for future security? It's not worth all the headaches in between, arguments, and the cost. Who knows though, I'm still young enough to change my mind.

Manitoba

Her first kid at 49??

I'm sorry, but if you waited until you're 49 to have a baby, then you are irresponsible and selfish. The likelihood of that baby have serious physical, mental or developmental issues is incredibly high - the risk is not worth it.

Sounds to me like she didn't want kids and live the "Sex and the City" lifestyle, suddenly to realize in her mid-40s that her life was meaningless. Further, to spend that much money on IVF is so shallow when there are so many children in need of a home. If she really wanted kids in her mid-40s, she should have adopted.

Spirit of 76

She should have just let him hump her leg then gotten him neutered.

BDS=(Boycott.Divest.Sanction)

I love this line

'he broke his emotional and financial commitment'

ha

whenever women invoke some 'independence' everybodys screams 'you go girl!'

but when a man does it, he's being a horrible person.

In 2010 its men who are the victims of sexism. For gods sakes she wrote a book about treating men like dogs...thats progress?

Meanwhile all the 'intellectuals' who claim to care about equality are of course silent.

Thespis

Yeah, but anyone who comes out with a book title like that is just begging for attention -- so I kind of think "silence" was always the right response. That doesn't mean that it's not a discussion worth having -- but this woman's muttered ramblings shouldn't be the centerpiece of it.

JenChungsBaby

Any good life coach charges at least $350/hour.

hotstepper

"How to Make Your Man Behave in 21 Days or Less Using the Secrets of Successful Dog Trainers"

the best thing about this story is the irony, the doggone irony.

pharnold

Poetic Justice. Guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Kelles

it sounds like she needs a good "life coach" if she couldn't see this coming....

chuzzlewit

i think her new life coach is due sometime around april-may.

dirty hipster

At least she didn't go all Amy Fisher on the wife.

Shades of Joey Buttafuco

Rocknrope

Romance blossomed, and when Leff revealed that he was separated from his wife, he quickly barked that he was filing for divorce.

Huh?

eyekantspel

I think JDS must be having an off day... this was pretty painful to read.

MT

Not for nothing, but who falls for the 'I'm going to divorce my wife' line? If he's cheating on his wife with you, what makes you think he's going to ultimately treat you any differently? This woman is an idiot, and she deserves what she gets.

P.S. The fact that she thinks she can treat men like 'dogs' makes all this seem like a nice little karmic smack down.

alice17

These idiots shouldn't be breeding in the first place.

mingusahum

She's 49 and wants a child?!?! Doesn't she realize that her rusty lady pipes have an exponentially growing chance of having a little downie baby after 40? If you really want a child adopt: haitian orphans > irresponsibly giving your child a mental disability.

retrovertigo

I'm kind of speechless, not shocked, just speechless. This is stupidly bizarre.

This feels like a very 90's sort of Long Island scenario.