A New York Capuchin
friar has been placed in the hands of the Authorities under serious
charges of electronic and postal fraud, after it was discovered that he
orchestrated a complex scheme to defraud the faithful for more than one
million dollars.
The friar, identified as Father Pawel Bielecki, 48,
used false identities, invented stories and alleged connections with
European royalty, to convince donors to finance non-existent medical
clinics in Lebanon.
The Strategy of Fraud: False Identities and Imaginary Clinics
The scandal came to light on August 17 when Bielecki was arrested by
Federal Authorities.
According to judicial documents, the friar began
his scheme in 2015, introducing himself falsely as a doctor and member
of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Sonderburg-Glucksburg royalty.
Through
these fictitious identities, he convinced numerous victims to donate
money to finance medical clinics that, according to him, operated in
Beirut, a city devastated by war.
The Authorities affirm that Bielecki used several aliases, including
“Paul SAR Saxe-Coburg-Gotha” and “Dr. Phaakon Sonderburg-Glucksburg”, to
perpetrate his fraud.
To give greater credibility to his story, the
friar also appeared on radio programs, stating that he was calling from
supposed clinics in Lebanon, when in fact he was in New York.
Internal Investigation and Arrest
The Capuchin Province of St. Mary, to which Bielecki belonged, expressed
its consternation and affirmed it was cooperating fully with the
Authorities.
In a press release, Father Robet Abbatiello, the Order’s
Provincial Superior, revealed that it was the Province itself that
notified the Federal Prosecutors about the friar’s suspicious behaviour,
after an internal investigation discovered numerous irregularities in
his credentials and activities.
Initially, the Province didn’t suspect Bielecki, who joined he Capuchins
at 18 in his native Poland and was sent to New York in 2011, to
continue his studies.
However, as doubts began to surface about his
employment and academic affirmations, the Province began to investigate
more thoroughly, which finally led to the discovery of the fraud.
Bielecki’s Use of the Scammed Money
The Federal Prosecutors allege that Bielecki not only deceived the
donors with his false stories, but that he used the money he collected
to finance a luxurious lifestyle.
Among the expenses identified are
plastic surgery, membership in a gymnasium to the tune of US$300
monthly, extravagant vacations and expensive dinners, in addition to
payments to pay off credit card debts.
Bielecki’s fraud also involved the use of collective financing Websites
and the promotion of supposed clinics in parish bulletins and Facebook
pages, where he asked for donations that went to a non-profit entity
that he himself had established.
Legal and Canonical Consequences
If declared guilty, Bielecki could face up to 40 years in prison.
Although the Capuchin Province has assured its cooperation with the
Authorities, it hasn’t specified if the friar will be subjected to a
canonical trial, which could lead to eventual laicization and expulsion
from the Order.
A spokesman of the Province said they are “exploring
appropriate and necessary canonical measures” in response to this case.
A New York Capuchin
friar has been placed in the hands of the Authorities under serious
charges of electronic and postal fraud, after it was discovered that he
orchestrated a complex scheme to defraud the faithful for more than one
million dollars. The friar, identified as Father Pawel Bielecki, 48,
used false identities, invented stories and alleged connections with
European royalty, to convince donors to finance non-existent medical
clinics in Lebanon.
The Strategy of Fraud: False Identities and Imaginary Clinics
The scandal came to light on August 17 when Bielecki was arrested by
Federal Authorities. According to judicial documents, the friar began
his scheme in 2015, introducing himself falsely as a doctor and member
of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Sonderburg-Glucksburg royalty. Through
these fictitious identities, he convinced numerous victims to donate
money to finance medical clinics that, according to him, operated in
Beirut, a city devastated by war.
The Authorities affirm that Bielecki used several aliases, including
“Paul SAR Saxe-Coburg-Gotha” and “Dr. Phaakon Sonderburg-Glucksburg”, to
perpetrate his fraud. To give greater credibility to his story, the
friar also appeared on radio programs, stating that he was calling from
supposed clinics in Lebanon, when in fact he was in New York.
Internal Investigation and Arrest
The Capuchin Province of St. Mary, to which Bielecki belonged, expressed
its consternation and affirmed it was cooperating fully with the
Authorities. In a press release, Father Robet Abbatiello, the Order’s
Provincial Superior, revealed that it was the Province itself that
notified the Federal Prosecutors about the friar’s suspicious behaviour,
after an internal investigation discovered numerous irregularities in
his credentials and activities.
Initially, the Province didn’t suspect Bielecki, who joined he Capuchins
at 18 in his native Poland and was sent to New York in 2011, to
continue his studies. However, as doubts began to surface about his
employment and academic affirmations, the Province began to investigate
more thoroughly, which finally led to the discovery of the fraud.
Bielecki’s Use of the Scammed Money
The Federal Prosecutors allege that Bielecki not only deceived the
donors with his false stories, but that he used the money he collected
to finance a luxurious lifestyle. Among the expenses identified are
plastic surgery, membership in a gymnasium to the tune of US$300
monthly, extravagant vacations and expensive dinners, in addition to
payments to pay off credit card debts.
Bielecki’s fraud also involved the use of collective financing Websites
and the promotion of supposed clinics in parish bulletins and Facebook
pages, where he asked for donations that went to a non-profit entity
that he himself had established.
Legal and Canonical Consequences
If declared guilty, Bielecki could face up to 40 years in prison.
Although the Capuchin Province has assured its cooperation with the
Authorities, it hasn’t specified if the friar will be subjected to a
canonical trial, which could lead to eventual laicization and expulsion
from the Order. A spokesman of the Province said they are “exploring
appropriate and necessary canonical measures” in response to this case.
