Database of Publicly Accused

Accused in a lawsuit filed in 7/2025 against the Diocese of Orlando and two parishes of sexually abusing an altar boy in the 2000s in the Dr. Phillips community in suburban Orlando. Per the suit, Zina met the boy in 2001 when he was age 9 and began grooming him, and the abuse abuse continued until 2007, when the boy was 15. Zina's accuser claims that Zina told him that "God chooses one altar server to be with the priest in a same-sex relationship that God approves of." The abuse allegedly occurred in two different churches and in Zina's car. Zina went on to an assignment as pastor of St. Anthony's Maronite Rite Parish in Springfield, MA after reportedly being placed on leave 2009-2010. In 7/2025 he is pastor of St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church in Roanoke, VA, where he was assigned in 2022. Zina denied the allegations.

Identified in the 6/18/2013 Report of the Audit and Review of the Files of the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph as a deceased friar with confirmed reports of sexual abuse of minors. Zach's name is included on this list without any additional information on claims against him. Spent several years at St. Lawrence Seminary as teacher and novice master, then became a hospital chaplain. Died 3/22/1997.

Pastor of St. Michael's in Findlay when arrested 8/18/2020 by the FBI on multiple charges of sex trafficking. He allegedly "manipulated and coerced drug-addicted boys and men into sex." Per court records, Zacharias made a "confession video" in 2015 in which he performed oral sex on a then-adult victim. He admits to first meeting the victim when he was a seminarian and the boy was in 6th grade St. Catherine's in Toledo. The boy became drug-addicted as a teen, and Zacharias offered him money for sex to feed his habit. A second young man told the FBI he met Zacharias in first grade at St. Catherine's and that the priest began sexually abusing him as a teen, when he was drug-addicted. Zacharias was placed on leave by the Diocese. Convicted 5/12/2023 on charges related to three victims, all of whom he began grooming as young boys for "commercial sex acts." All three developed addictions to opiates; Zacharias waited for them to become destabilized enough to propose the commercial sex involvement for money to purchase drugs. One told his parish pastor of the abuse while in 8th grade in 1999-2000, who told the boy "it was all in your head." Sentenced in 11/2023 to life in prison. Laicization announced in 3/2024. In 7/2010 the Diocese agreed to pay the three victims a little more than $1M.

Worked in South St. Louis, Manchester, Lemay, Krakow, Wildwood and Sullivan parishes. Retired without faculties 2010 due to allegations of financial irregularities at parish he pastored. Accused 11/17 of sexual abuse of a boy 1975-78, while assigned to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in Mehlville. Zacheis denied the allegation. Accuser, age 55, filed suit 11/15/17. On the archdiocese's list 7/26/19. Allegations substantiated. Removed from ministry.

Name first released on archdiocese's 5/22/14 revised list of accused priests and brothers. Worked in the archdiocese 1973-1982. Assignments included pastor at Assumption in Richfield 1973-1981, as administrator at St. Albert in Albertville, at St. George in Long Lake and as associate pastor at St. Casimir in St. Paul. Accused in 4/82 of sexual abuse of a minor female. Died in 1983. NOTE: List and articles refer to him as a Franciscan TOR but research indicates he was actually an Oblate priest (OMI).

Suspended 11/17/2007 after an allegation deemed credible that he sexually assaulted girl, age 9-11, 1989-1991 in Lore City, OH. She told her parents and church; he was transferred. Denied the allegations. Matter sent to the District Attorney and to Rome. In 10/2008 a Grand Jury did not indict, citing lack of probable cause. A second accuser came forward in 10/2008. Zalenski's attorney threatened to sue if she spoke publicly. She sued in 1/2009 for release of records. The OH Supreme Court ordered the 5th District Court of Appeals to release records 7/2010. Sent to three treatment centers. Laicized in 2014. Included on the diocese's list 10/31/2018.

Died in 1976. A woman notified the Diocese in 5/2007 that Zalewski "hugged her to his body" at St. Joseph church in Lincoln in 1956, when she was approximately age 12. In 2/2021 a man received a settlement for $30K from the Diocese. The man had come forward to allege that when he was age 11 in the summer of 1963, Zalewski sexually abused him while he was visiting a rest home that his friend's grandmother owned. He said that afterward he rode his bike to the police station in Penacook and reported the abuse.

Priest of the Diocese of El Paso. Moved to Tucson in 2002 to care for his mother. Taught there at Salpointe Catholic High School and helped out in parishes. Also in 2002 Zamorano adopted two boys from Mexico. Reportedly in 2014, Zamorano was removed from ministry by the Tucson diocese in 2012 after he allegedly took a mentally disabled adult parishioner to a motel, gave him alcohol and sexually assaulted him. The District Attorney's office investigated; no charges were filed. A civil suit filed in 6/2014 named Zamorano, the Diocese of Tucson, and the Diocese of El Paso. Per the 2017 Catholic Directory, he was still an El Paso priest, absent on leave.

Parish priest, became Army chaplain in 1951. Diocese received allegations in 1980 and 1986 of "unwanted sexual misconduct" by Zangari toward adult women. Sent in 1986 to St. Luke's for evaluation. Admitted to fathering a child with a former high school student. No follow-up apparent by diocese. Review by bishop in 2002 of the 1986 evaluation; he said it showed "full proof of [Zangari's] sexual misconduct with minors." Faculties removed. Died 9/23/04. Name included on diocese's list released 8/1/18. Included in the PA Grand Jury Report.

On 12/31/2013, the diocese released its list of 17 clergy, including Zankl, who had been credibly accused of the sexual abuse of young persons while serving in the diocese, and another five who had been accused while residing in the diocese at some point. Spent much time at St. John Abbey before and after working in the diocese 1951-1987. Left the diocese 5/30/1987. Died 07/12/2007, age 106. Accusation received shortly before the diocese released its list.

Monsignor. Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 8/21/18. Retired 1982. Died 12/30/88.

Ordained for Newark. Sent to MN in 1980 for alcoholism treatment. Ministered in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; incardinated there in 1987. Permanently removed from ministry in 2002 due to allegation of abuse of a youth in the early 1970s in Newark. Died in 3/08 at age 67. Name included on the St. Paul and Minneapolis archdiocese's list of credibly accused in 12/13. On Newark archdiocese's list 2/13/19.

Removed 3/02 from parish assignment because of 'misconduct' involving two children 31 years prior. He received years of counseling and reconciled with the families and victims. Counseling discontinued when bishop determined it was no longer necessary. He was removed under the diocese's revised policy 3/20/02. No criminal charges filed. Died 7/2/18. Included on the diocese's list 1/2/20.

Placed on leave 11/30/2007 after admitting to "inappropriate behavior" with as many as five boys in the 1970s. Victims included three brothers. Further allegations involved an 18-year-old youth and events in 2007. Sent for counseling. Zatarga kept a "travel log" of his 1976 trips with teenage boys and often mentioned their "unique physiques." Died 8/28/2011. Included on the Diocese's list in 2/20/2019.

Parish priest, teacher, KY state police chaplain. Included on the diocese's list 7/31/2020 of those with substantiated allegation(s). Left active ministry in 1973. Married. Died 5/1/1983.

Arrested in 5/1986 at a public park, charged with obscenity for exposing himself to two undercover police officers. Pleaded no contest. Received a one-year suspended sentence and one year unsupervised probation, and ordered to undergo treatment. Assigned in 1985 to the Church of the Little Flower in Mobile, AL, and returned to Lafayette in 1995. Died in 1996. Included on the Lafayette diocese's list of credibly accused in 4/2019, which notes that he retired in 1995.

Named publicly as accused on the Diocese's list 12/3/2018. Ordained for the Syracuse diocese. Worked in the Diocese of Venice FL 10/1988-2006, where he was incardinated in 1/1992. Per his obituary, Zedar retired 9/8/2006 and died 2/8/2009. Accused along with two other priests in a lawsuit filed in 6/2020 under the NY Child Victims Act of sexually abusing a boy. The abuse by Zedar allegedly began in the 1970s when the boy was a Seton Catholic Central High School junior, and included rape.

A woman filed suit in 3/03 (dismissed on SOL 9/06) alleging she was abused by two priests. She said she was raped by Zeder between 1978 and 1981 and abused by Thomas Keating in 1982 after she told him what Zeder had done. She also says that Zeder threatened to put her in a mental institution if she told. The woman said she told Bishop Moynihan in 2002. Zeder was removed from public ministry in 7/02 and permanently removed from active priesthood as of 6/03. On diocese's list 12/3/18. Noted to be deceased.

Director and chaplain of Princeton University's Catholic campus ministry and Diocesan Vicar for Catholic Education in 9/2019 when accused of sexually abusing a minor in 1975, prior to ordination. Denied the allegation. Resigned. On 6/16/2020 the TOR Province of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus announced that investigations by the Attorney General and Order could not substantiate the allegation and deemed it not credible. Zeis was to be reinstated.

Named publicly in 11/21 by Attorney Jeff Anderson as accused in a lawsuit filed under the NJ Victims’ Rights Bill. Retired in 1990, per his obituary. Left the priesthood and married. Died 12/8/15.

Named publicly as accused in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General's Report. Allegation to the Archdiocese in 2013 that Zerhusen sexually abused a boy, age 8 or 9, in 1982 or 1983 at St. Ambrose in Baltimore. The boy's grandmother worked at the parish and would take him with her to work. Zerhusen's accuser said the priest would take him to his room, pull down his pants and touch his penis, saying he was giving the boy an exam. On one occasion Zerhusen allegedly made the boy touch his penis. Zerhusen was made monsignor in 1990. He died in 2003. The man received a settlement of $32,500. In 11/2023 another man publicly stated that Zerhusen sexually abused him for over a year when he was a middle schooler in the 1970s.

Name at times spelled Zieman. Resigned as Bishop of the Santa Rosa diocese in 1999 after a priest sued him over a sexual relationship. Ziemann left the diocese in financial debt of over $30M. A 2002 lawsuit alleged the sexual abuse of a boy over several years, in beginning in 1968. Named in a 12/2003 civil suit alleging conspiracy by 28 priests to cover up abuse in the Los Angeles archdiocese. Named in the L.A archdiocesan report, with three accusing him of abuse 1967-1986. Lived in Tucson without faculties until his death in 10/2009. Nephew of accused priest George M. Scott.

First named publicly as accused on the Archdiocese's list 10/12/2018. Noted to have one victim of sexual abuse allegedly occurring 1955-1957. Ziemer died 4/26/1980. Allegations were reported after his death.

Worked in NH, MA, HI, MN, CA and WI. Given permission to operate a Christian Renewal center in WI. As such, he participated as a priest at various churches. Plaintiff in a 1993 suit alleged that Zimmer abused her 1979-80 at one of these churches in WI. Zimmer was still active in 1993 as an instructor for Catholic Seminars. Died in 1/97.

In 9/08 the Fort Worth diocese announced a credible allegation that ZImmerer sexually abused a boy, age 11, while assigned to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Decatur in 1978. Zimmerer died in 1/23/83 at age 74. As of 9/15, two more men had come forward with credible allegations of abuse at the same church. Also worked in AR, MI, WI. Name included on Little Rock's 9/10/18 list (mistakenly as Francis 'Zimmer'). On the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese's list updated 4/1/19. On the La Crosse diocese's list 1/18/20.

Monsignor. Accused in a 7/2021 lawsuit under the NY Child Victims Act of sexually abusing a boy, age 14, multiple times in 1973. Zimpfer's accuser claimed that the abuse began when he told the priest he was being abused at home. Zimpfer died in 1975.

First publicly named as accused in the 8/14/2018 PA Grand Jury Report. The diocese knew as early as 1987 of allegations against him of child sex abuse. Sent to St. Francis Hospital for evaluation in 3/1988 after an allegation. Sent to St. Luke's Institute in 12/1988 after two reports of abuse, of boys ages 16 and 17. Another complaint 1991. Kept in ministry until placed on leave 11/1994. Returned to ministry 7/1995 after threatening diocese with legal action. Another accusation 11/1995, placed on leave. Moved to FL, then Cuba where he was murdered in 5/2001. Grand Jury found him to have been involved, along with Revs. Francis Pucci, Robert Wolk and Richard Zula, in making child porn, sharing victims, and using sadism while raping them. Their "favorite boys" would allegedly be given big gold crosses to wear to signal them as targets for other predators. Lawsuit in 11/2018. Included on the diocese's list of credibly accused. 

Removed from ministry in 1993 after a man alleged physical and sexual abuse 1974-1979 while Ziter was pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Selma. Sued in 1994. Suit dismissed due to the statute of limitations. Ziter founded the Boys and Girls Club in Slma. Assignments in AL included Queen of Peace in Selma, St. Philip Neri in Belle Fontaine, St. Elizabeth in Selma, and Our Lady of Lourdes in Mobile. Director of spiritual affairs at St. Michael's College in VT 1961-1967 and worked in parishes in Swanton and Williston. Ziter died 7/7/2000. Included the Mobile archdiocese's list 12/6/2018. Per the Edmundites' list 8/7/2019, the allegation was substantiated.

Two suits filed in 1995 alleged abuse by Zizka in the 1970s while the female plaintiffs were children. Files in the suits were sealed until 1998. Another suit was filed in 7/1997. Zizka was not removed from his assignment until 1999. All three cases settled and the files were again sealed. By 10/2002 a total of five lawsuits had been filed against Zizka. All settled. Per the Archdiocese on its list 1/22/2019, Zizka was laicized in 2002.

Member of the Edmund Rice, or Irish, Christian Brothers. Entered the order in 1959. Named publicly as accused by the Phoenix diocese on its list 10/29/2019. Assigned 2001-2008 to St. Matthew's in Phoenix, where he was the school's vice-principal. Previously worked in Chicago IL, Peru, Staten Island NY, Burbank, IL, Honolulu HI, and Seattle WA. Accused in a 2014 lawsuit of sexually abusing a student at Damien Memorial High School in HI. Also accused in a 2016 lawsuit in HI of abusing a Damien Memorial student in 1982. Died 12/02/2009.

First named publicly as accused in the 8/14/2018 PA Grand Jury Report. Included on the Allentown diocese's 8/19/2018 list of credibly accused. Member of Diocesan Tribunal. Psychologist. Died in 1968. In 10/2004 a woman told the diocese that Zmijewski sexually abused her in 1950 when she was a St. Peter's in Reading 9th grader. She said she was referred to Zmijewski for counseling, and he proposed hypnotizing her at his residence. She said she feigned being hypnotized and he then had her strip naked. He allegedly left the room for a few minutes then returned and told her to get dressed.

Removed from ministry in 2002 due to allegations deemed credible. Laicized in 2011. Assignments included parishes in Tusla, Norman, Watonga and OK City. Pastor in Moore 1974-84, moved to Weatherford parish 1984-85, OK City 1985-96, Yukon 1996-01, per archdiocese. Report to archdiocese in 2006 of abuse in 1985 by Zoeller of a 16-year-old boy who attended St. Patrick's parish. In 8/18 his accuser contacted the archdiocese, which then found credible allegations in Zoeller's file and initiated an investigation. Zoeller was discovered volunteering at a parish in 8/18. On the archdiocese's list of credibly accused 10/3/19.

Named as defendant in lawsuit filed in Brooklyn in which 26 people alleged abuse by twelve priests and one religious brother. The suit said Zollo abused a male parishioner at Our Lady of Grace in Howard Beach, where he was assigned 1981-1983. Resigned at some point. Per the diocese in 2/2019, it deemed the allegation unsubstantiated, but the claimant was allowed to participate in the IRCP. (Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program.) The diocese did not include Zollo on its list in 2/2019.

Also known as Stanley. Named publicly as accused on the Diocese's list in 2019. Pastor of St. Hilary in Washington PA 1958-1986. Died in 1998.

Parish assignments in Bridgeport, Emmaus, Willow Grove and Philadelphia. Involved in a Germantown summer camp. Music Director at Allentown Central Catholic High School, later at Reading Central Catholic High. Residing at St. Mary's parish in Kutztown when he died 9/18/1962. First named publicly as credibly accused on Allentown's 8/19/2018 list. Allegation received after his death.

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese on its list 1/31/2019, which notes that Zuber was removed from ministry in 1993 and laicized in 2018. (A news report in 2/2019 states that laicization was in process.)

Member of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, formerly the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs, Columbus OH. First assigned in 1975. In 7/2018 a woman alleged that Zuccarelli molested her in 1982 when she was a student at Fisher Catholic High School in Lancaster. The Order removed Zuccarelli from ministry and restricted her from unsupervised contact with minors and former students. Zuccarelli taught at Fisher High 1980-1985. Prior to that she was a teacher at Desales High 1975-1977 and Catholic Central High in Steubenville 1978-1980. Taught at Georgetown University's School of Nursing 1995-1999, chaplain there at St. Mary's Hall and Darnall Hall 1996-2002. Director of academic enrichment and student life until 2003. Professor at Salve Regina University in RI from 2003 until her 2018 removal. The Order deemed the allegation credible.

Accused in a 12/15/1995 lawsuit of sexually abusing two altar boys 1970-1975. The complaint alleges that Zuch "systematically" abused "numerous" altar boys "starting in the 1940s." Some of the abuse allegedly occurred at a cabin on Clear Lake. The suit was settled by 2002. Zuch was director of Catholic Charities in the diocese 1935-1955. He died in 1993. Included on the diocese's list 4/4/2019, which notes five allegations of abuse of boys in the early- to mid- 1970s.

Born in Mexico, raised in Italy. Attended seminary in Italy and at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany NY. Assigned to Nativity in Buffalo, then administrator at Sacred Heart. Pastor at St. Mary's in Sliver Springs. Also worked at St. John's in Sinclairille and St. Jude's in Sardinia. Boy Scout leader for 17 years. Moderator of the Catholic Youth Organization for 15 years. Died 7/12/95. Accused in a lawsuit(s) filed in 2020 under the NY Child Victims Act.

Report to diocese in 9/1987 of violent sexual activity in the rectory by Zula with a minor, and with three other lay men. Sent to Institute of Living in CT. Placed on permanent leave. Two brothers alleging abuse filed suit, then contacted police in 9/1988. One said he was first abused by Zula in 1984 when under age 16. Zula was arrested in 11/1988. Pled guilty to two counts involving the two brothers; sentenced in 1990 to 2-5 years in prison. Sentence to run concurrently with one in another county imposed for 1-5 years. Diocese settled with the brothers with a confidentiality agreement. Revs. Francis Pucci and Robert Wolk were accused of abusing the same boys. More reports to diocese of abuse of boys by Zula, involving sadomasochism. Found volunteering at a parish in 2007. Died 9/29/17. Included in 8/14/18 PA Grand Jury Report. Suit filed 10/18 against Bishop Zubik and Cardinal Wuerl. Zula's name included on the diocese's list of credibly accused.