Fr. Thomas Bettencourt

Ordained: 1976
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of San Jose CA

First named publicly as accused on the diocese’s 10/18/18 list. Allegation reported in 1997 that Bettencourt engaged in sexual misconduct with a child while assigned to St. Justin’s in 1982. Bettencourt died of AIDS 2/25/90. Lawsuit in 2021 by a man alleging he was drugged and raped at age 16 in 1981 by Bettencourt, and that he contracted HIV as a result.


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