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  The Judge's Order

The Plain Dealer [Cleveland OH]
June 16, 2007

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1181982923316480.xml&coll=2

U.S. District Judge Ann Aldrich ordered the diocese to produce documents about the following transactions and entities:

The Anthony M. Pilla Charitable Account, a $500,000 account that church officials said was Pilla's savings.

Payments of $79,000 to remodel and furnish a 5,000-square-foot home in Geauga County that was to be used as a retreat house for church officials.

Payments of $27,800 to Renee Bals, the wife of former Deacon Jerry Bals, who lost his teaching license after being charged with sexually assaulting students while he worked at Lake Catholic High School. The payments were made between 2000 and 2003, and Jerry Bals lived in the house while his wife received the church money.

A $63,000 loan of church money that the Rev. John Wright, then the diocese's financial and legal secretary, made to his secretary. Joseph Smith says Wright made the loan without approval from the diocese.

Documents about Basilica Memorial Products, a for-profit company set up by the diocese to sell cemetery products. The diocese also must turn over documents about Basilica's payments to Kennick Die & Mold. Attorneys for Smith and Anton Zgoznik say Wright had a friend who worked at the company.

Payments defense lawyers say were additional compensation for Wright, including car payments.

Payments of church money to companies that employed Wright's relatives. Wright's attorney said some of the companies listed have never employed Wright's relatives.

Wright's personnel file.

Unedited minutes of meetings by the Finance Council between 1994 and 2003.

Various payments, contracts and invoices by the Wickliffe-based Center for Pastoral Leadership, the Catholic Cemeteries Association and the Office of Catholic Education.

The diocese also was ordered to hand over the results of its internal investigation, commissioned after the diocese received anonymous letters accusing Smith and Zgoznik of wrongdoing.

 
 

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