Former Catholic Priest in Court Accused of Defrauding Church

CBC News
January 20, 2014

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/former-catholic-priest-in-court-accused-of-defrauding-church-1.2502872

Joseph LeClair, originally hailing from P.E.I., left Blessed Sacrament Church in Ottawa's Glebe neighbourhood in May 2011.

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A popular former Catholic priest in Ottawa who stepped down amid allegations he misappropriated church funds is set to appear in court today on those allegations.

In July 2012, Ottawa police charged Joseph LeClair with one count each of fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000, as well as criminal breach of trust and laundering proceeds of crime.

LeClair’s preliminary hearing is expected to begin Monday morning on each of those charges.

LeClair, who originally hails from Prince Edward Island, had attracted a following in his 13 years at the Blessed Sacrament Church in Ottawa's Glebe neighbourhood and had a reputation as a charismatic speaker and community leader.

But the Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa launched an audit of the church, following a report that LeClair had racked up large credit card bills, as well as a discovery the church had few financial controls.

Police said the archdiocese filed a complaint in August of 2011 after they completed their audit.

Fraud investigators looked at the period between January 2006 and when LeClair left the parish, May 2011, and alleged the former priest misappropriated more than $240,000 in the form of cheques from the parish.

Police also alleged $160,000 in cash revenues were unaccounted for, while about $20,000 in furniture and household items belonging to the parish were taken from the rectory when LeClair left.

A portion of those items was recovered at a residence outside of Ontario, police have said.

Attendance drops without popular priest

None of these allegations have been proven in court.

Attendance has been cut in half since LeClair left, the church said. On Sunday, LeClair’s former parishioners continued to support him and claimed the media made him seem like a “monster.” 

Others said they would pray for him and they forgive LeClair, who apologized to his parishioners before he left and admitted he had a gambling problem and struggled with depression.

The archdiocese and church have refused comment until the case is finished.

The church did say its finances are back in order after receiving about half-a-million dollars in donations.