A former patient is suing the former directors of KIDS of North Jersey, a now-defunct drug treatment center in Secaucus, claiming that he was held there against his will for five years. It’s the latest in a long history of complaints filed against Dr. ***, the former director of KIDS of North Jersey as well as a number of other centers across the country. He and his wife, *** – who was the center’s assistant director – are being sued by ex-patient ***, 26, of Clifton. The trial began Thursday in front of Superior Court Judge *** in Jersey City. ***, whose family immigrated to New York City in 1993, was admitted to KIDS of North Jersey in July 1994 at the age of 14. He said he was brought to the center by his parents after he was arrested in connection with a groping incident at his high school in Queens. Although his parents said they saw no signs of drug use in a preliminary interview with *** – and even though *** twice tested negative for drugs – he was diagnosed with marijuana and alcohol addictions and was admitted to the program with the consent of his parents, said his attorney, ***. In his opening statement, *** accused the *** of fabricating *** “addictions” to marijuana and alcohol as the cause for admitting him to the program, where he remained until 1998 when he turned 18 and became a legal adult. For all four years, *** said, *** stayed with a foster family in New Jersey and did not attend school. “More than 4.5 years of his life were stolen because he was in treatment for problems he did not have,” *** said. But defense attorney *** described *** as a “failing student” with truancy issues and an arrest record who was admitted to the center by an accredited doctor. He warned jurors that “this will be a tough case to sort out where truth ends and fantasy begins.” According to ***, *** would alternate between denying and admitting to a drug and alcohol addiction, and that he never advanced beyond the “second phase” of treatment. There are five phases in the *** drug treatment plan. *** also claimed he was frequently restrained by other patients, often being pinned to the floor by as many as four other teens, until he agreed to participate in drug treatment sessions. Allegations of false imprisonment, physical abuse, and insurance fraud have dogged ***. He holds a doctorate in public administration from Union Institute & University in Cincinnati, calls himself “Father ***” after being ordained as a priest by the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and has made unsuccessful bids for political office in Florida. In 2003, *** presided over a 2003 suit by ***, a former KIDS patient who also claimed she did not have alcohol or drug problems and was falsely held. ***, who was also represented by ***, settled for $6.5 million.