A crooked priest stole nearly $100,000 in church donations to pay men he met on Grindr to perform sex acts on him, prosecutors have alleged.
Reverend Joseph McLoone, of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Downingtown, allegedly funneled donations made by parishioners to fund his sleazy habit for at least six years.
On Wednesday, investigators revealed he allegedly opened a secret TD Bank checking account in 2011 and deposited $98,405, which he then used to pay for his illicit activities as well as to pay off his credit card debts.
The disgraced priest allegedly withdrew roughly $46,000 in cash from the undisclosed account in Ocean City, New Jersey, where he owns a beach house.
He admitted using some of the funds for ‘personal relationships’ with men, including $1,200 to an inmate in a New York correctional facility, court files states.
McLoone told investigators that Miller lived in New York City and that he met the inmate via Grindr for a sexual relationship, the complaint shows.
McLoone also allegedly made 17 separate payments totaling $1,720 to men he met on Grindr via online money transferring app.
During the six-year fraud, he doubled the fee he collected as a stipend for each Mass, wedding, and funeral held, prosecutors also claim.
He is also accused of using $3,000 to pay off personal credit card debts.
‘Father McLoone held a position of leadership and his parishioners trusted him to properly handle their generous donations to the church,’ Chester County district attorney chief of staff Charles Gaz said in a statement.
‘Father McLoone violated the trust of the members of St. Joseph’s for his own personal gain.’
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia launched an investigation into McLoone’s suspicious activity in early 2018.
McLoone was later put on administrative leave before he resigned as pastor of the parish, a statement released Wednesday said.
‘These charges are serious and disturbing,’ the statement read. ‘The Archdiocese and the parish will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as the criminal matter enters its next phase.
‘Pending the outcome, Monsignor McLoone remains on administrative leave. Information regarding his arrest will be shared with the Saint Joseph Parish community.’
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