Priest Accused Of Stealing $1M To Pay For Sex Resigns: Report

BRICK, NJ -- The New York City priest accused of stealing $1 million in church collections and using it to buy a house in Brick and pay for male prostitutes has resigned, according to a report.

The New York Daily News report says a resignation letter from the Rev. Peter Miqueli was read at services over the weekend at the Saint Frances de Chantal Church in the Bronx, where Miqueli served as pastor since October 2012.

The Daily News report said some parishioners at the church defended Miqueli, saying the accusations against him are the result of a group who have a problem with the priest.

The resignation comes as a result of a lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court of New York on behalf of a group of Bronx parishioners that accuses Miqueli of stealing the funds to buy a home and to pay male prostitutes for sexual bondage sessions.

The Daily News reported a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Joseph Zwilling, said in a statement that the allegations against Miqueli are “completely false,” but acknowledged an investigation is underway.

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