Priest jailed after stealing to fund expensive gay lifestyle but he remains a priest
A Catholic priest in the United States has been jailed for three years after being found guilty of stealing more than
$1 million to spend on a lavish lifestyle including regular visits to gay bars, the services of male escorts and designer clothes.
Father Kevin Gray, 65, from the Sacred Heart Parish in Waterbury, Connecticut pleaded ‘no contest’ to allegations that he shared a New York flat with a man who he also paid for to go to Harvard University, the Daily Mail reports.But Gray, who first raised suspicions when disappearing from his church in April last year, will not be forced to pay back what he stole after the diocese in which he worked did not claim damages, The priest may even be allowed to return to priesthood after seeing out his sentence.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the Diocese of Hartford said in a statement: “Father Kevin Gray’s plea demonstrates that he is fully aware and responsible for the severity of his wrongdoing and is repentant.
“After he completes his sentence, if devoted to his priestly commitment, he will be eligible to continue serving as a priest, but will never be placed in a position where he will manage finances.”
Gray’s method of stealing from the church by making cheques out to himself, and using the money to finance a lavish gay lifestyle was exposed in documents he left behind. But Gray’s lawyers claimed many of the charges levelled against his client were exaggerated.
Jonny Payne
Comments