A group of patients at a Brooklyn nursing and rehabilitation center claim they were mistreated, ignored and even trapped. 

Patients said the rehab center is hindering their ability to get better, so it can collect more money from their insurance.

Calls for an investigation

"There has to be some sort of investigation, whether it be Department of Aging, or city and state agencies," community activist Tony Herbert said.

After a surgery went terribly wrong, Victor Lee says he has spent the last two years living inside the Brooklyn Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Herkimer Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. 

By now, the 62-year-old thought he'd be closer to recovery. Instead, he says every day at the facility has pushed him further from healing because of the center's lack of care.

"It's not good. It's not good. Nothing good about it," Lee said. "They tell me I can't go to therapy anymore. How could you deny me therapy?"

He also said the facility will not allow any outside therapy, making him feel trapped and neglected.

"When I came here, it was to get better, not to be harmed, not to be used, not to be suffering through the hands of the people that should be taking care of you," Lee said.

Lee and other residents insist the center is full of issues -- from theft to broken elevators and water fountains. They say there is also a lack of staff and equipment.

"This has become a prison camp"

Rev. Dr. Robert Romaro Walton Sr., the pastor at Zion Shiloh Baptist Church, said many of the residents are not allowed to go to church anymore.

"We try to come with a spirit of reason, but it's no longer reasoning anymore. It's war," Walton said.

On Tuesday, when they rallied together to complain, residents said management wouldn't let about 20 of them leave the building, since no family member was there to sign them out. One called CBS News New York over the phone.

"This has become a prison camp," the resident said.

Emilio Juarbes of Crown Heights said he checks on his mother six times a week, because of what he calls a lack of care.

"I am keeping her here, because it's close to me and it's hard to find other facilities," Juarbes said.

These are not just recent allegations. Former residents have also come forward, with similar stories.

Frances Shaw was a patient back in 2019.

"We make complaints to the state, never get called back, and nothing seems to change," Shaw said.

CBS News New York tries to get answers  

When CBS News New York's John Dias tried to go inside to see the conditions, he was denied access. He was told a manager would come out to talk, but no one ever came outside. When Dias tried calling for comment he was directed to the facility's lawyer before being hung up on.

That lawyer, Robert A. Del Giorno, later issued the following statement:

"Brooklyn Gardens is committed to providing high quality care to its residents and protects their wellbeing and safety as required by law. We are subject to oversight by the state and federal governments and are inspected by the NYS Department of Health on annual basis. In general, residents always have the freedom to leave the facility, as long as there is no safety concern, which is addressed as part of the resident's individualized care plan.

"Brooklyn Gardens' residents receive all required physician care, including specialty care, through providers coming on site to meet the specific needs of the residents and residents are transported to providers whenever necessary.  Brooklyn Gardens investigates all allegations of misconduct and reports them to the appropriate authorities as required by law. The facility denies any allegations of misconduct mentioned by CBS and does not believe them to be true. Nevertheless, as with all allegations, they will be investigated."