A Catholic priest in Canada has been charged with fraud over the alleged theft of more than $500,000 which was meant to be raised for refugees.
Fr Amer Saka of St Joseph Chaldean Church in London, Ontario, is said to have obtained the funds from more than 20 people who believed they were giving to a sponsorship programme to bring refugee families to Canada.
Local police said that the Hamilton Catholic Diocese cooperated in the ongoing investigation, which began in February and spanned Ontario.
51-year-old Saka was arrested on Wednesday and faces two charges of fraud.
The Bishop of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto has suspended Saka from his parish.
Bishop Douglas Crosby of the Hamilton Diocese issued a brief statement to The Hamilton Spectator, saying: "I wish to affirm that the Diocese of Hamilton remains committed to the continuing care and support of all refugees under the Diocese's refugee sponsorship program, including those whose sponsorship may have involved Father Saka."
The Hamilton Spectator reported that the Hamilton diocese knew there were about 10 or 11 refugees who had arrived in Southern Ontario – sponsored by Saka – within the past few months, and one or two of those could be living in Hamilton. The Hamilton diocese had filed up to 20 applications for refugees from Iraq.
Hamilton Msgr Murray Kroetsch said Saka had been with the refugee programme for about eight or nine years.
Kroetsch said Chaldean Bishop Emanuel Shaleta believed Saka may have had a "gambling problem" for which he was receiving treatment, the Hamilton Spectator said.
