Ex-Virginia Bishop Spent $2.4M On Luxury Vacations, Alcohol, New Report Reveals
It seems former Roman Catholic Bishop Michael J. Bransfield was far from being a servant of God and people.
Bransfield, 75, who served as bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia from 2005 to 2018, resigned from the Holy Orders in 2018 after allegations were made he allegedly sexually abused a teenage boy in Philadelphia and also sexually harassed adults.
Bransfield has never been charged with sexual abuse. A Church investigation concluded there was no evidence of criminal activity by Bransfield.
It now turns out Bransfield might have also used his former position to enrich himself and shower gifts on other people. An expose by The Washington Post alleges Bransfield spent $2.4 million in Church money on travel, including chartered jets and luxury hotels.
The bishop also spent $1,000 a month on alcohol; $4.6 million on renovating a church; and $182,000 on flowers delivered daily to his office.
He also allegedly lavished $350,000 in gifts to others in the Church, including young priests he was accused of abusing. High-ranking members of the U.S. Catholic Church hierarchy such as Cardinal Timothy Dolan were allegedly among those who received gifts from Bransfield.
The ex-bishop is said to have used checks from his personal account, and the diocese reimbursed him for the value of the gifts. The gifts came in the form of 565 checks made out to the clerics by name.
“Bishop Bransfield adopted an extravagant and lavish lifestyle that was in stark contrast to the faithful he served and was for his own personal benefit,” said the report.
A 60-page report that followed-up an initial report said subordinates of Bransfield, including seminarians and young priests, reported he sexually harassed them. It cites nine men in the diocese "who accused Bransfield of touching or groping them, kissing or exposing himself to them or of commenting on their bodies."
The report alleges Bransfield abused alcohol and prescription drugs, including oxycodone. These forms of abuse "likely contributed to his harassing and abusive behavior."
He "emphatically denied" engaging in sexual activity or harassment, said the report.
"Everybody’s trying to destroy my reputation," said Bransfield when asked about the allegations. "These people are terrible to me."
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