An Italian priest has been exiled from his parish after allegedly stealing over $117,000 in church funds to buy drugs for gay sex orgies.
Father Francesco Spagnesi was once an esteemed Roman Catholic priest from Prato, Tuscany.
However, this all changed after Spagnesi was accused of draining thousands of Euros from his church’s bank account and taking money from collection plates and donations under false pretenses. His motive? Drug-fuelled sex parties.
Authorities began investigating Spagnesi after a tip-off regarding his roommate, who was allegedly importing large quantities of the party drug GHB.
Police are now in the process of interviewing 200 people who are said to have attended lavish parties hosted by the priest over the last two years, while Spagnesi remains under house arrest.
Spagnesi and his roommate would advertise their debaucherous events through online dating sites.
A police raid of their apartment found bottles converted into home-made crack pipes.
Father Francesco Spagnesi is on house arrest after stealing $120,000 in church funds to pay for drugs and orgies. It's always the people you most suspect. pic.twitter.com/tEVuYFSRk8
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) September 25, 2021
Father Spagnesi was highly regarded in Prato after dropping out of medical school at age twenty-six to dedicate his life to religion.
He became highly regarded in his local parish for his lively and engaging sermons and reportedly claimed that he found a “fullness and a joy in making myself available to others”.
Local newspaper La Nazione reported the parishioners were blind-sided by the revelations and had described the priest as “young, brilliant, all-involving and refined”.
The attorney representing Spagnesi revealed that he confessed to supplying drugs at parties, and indicated he will admit to misappropriating parish funds.
Father Spagnesi exiting the Confessional. pic.twitter.com/uqB8WJh1wh
— XTCHR19 (@sexagenariatric) September 24, 2021
According to Milan daily publication Corriere Della Sera, Father Spagnesi blamed his actions on being swallowed by a “cocaine vortex”. He also disclosed his status as HIV positive, though added he was taking an antiretroviral and could not transmit the virus.
“The drug made me betray my parishioners, it made me tell lies, it made me take actions that I am ashamed of… I ask everyone for forgiveness,” he said.
Spagnesi has promised to return the money and vows to sell everything he owns in order to repay the parishioners.
