Parishioners attending a church in New York, in the United States, received an unfortunate surprise when they discovered that the priest Pawel Bielecki, better known as Father Paul, took advantage of their faith to steal offerings.
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According to the New York Post, The priest raised $650,000 in offerings, saying they would go to medical clinics he financed in LebanonInstead of using the money for good, he used it to support an extravagant lifestyle.
What did the priest do with the money?
According to the authorities, with the large sum She managed to take trips to the Hamptons, get plastic surgery (like liposuction) and go to fancy restaurants.
Federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams explained that the father was arrested on August 17 on charges of electronic and mail fraud, as “He took advantage of his position as a friar to gain the trust of victims across the country and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from them.”
The scam lasted eight years, all while he shared his message of help through church sermons, websites and radio shows.
Between December 2017 and February 2024, the priest withdrew nearly $50,000 in cash from his bank accounts and transferred more than $600,000 to two credit card companies.
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Source: https://www.noticiascaracol.com/mundo/cura-se-robo-las-ofrendas-de-una-iglesia-para-darse-vida-de-rico-se-hizo-hasta-lipo-rg10
