A New York City pastor who was arrested for pocketing offering money several times claimed that he did so because he was not being paid enough.
Following his arrest last year, Rev. Daniel Iampaglia claimed that the church he pastors, Evangelical Rock Church on the Upper East Side, does not pay him enough. Sources have told The New York Post that the preacher is being compensated an amount of $600 on a weekly basis, plus free lodging and utilities provided within the vicinity of the church facility.
72-year-old Iampaglia was arrested last Nov. 21, 2015 after a surveillance camera set up by suspicious members of the congregation of Rock Church allegedly documented the pastor taking money from offerings collected during the Tuesday services.
It is reported that the reverend has misappropriated at least $8,000 in church funds. Iampaglia is also charged with stealing no less than $238 from offering baskets, including the money he took in the incident caught by the surveillance footages.
The Post also reports a shouting match that happened recently in Rock Church after Iampaglia called for a meeting to change the church bylaw to allow current board members to choose future board members. The move was seen as the senior leader's attempt at keeping his post in the small church.
Offended members of the congregation- Sue Cruz, Prasad Venigalla and Joseph McGee- reportedly tried to confront Iampaglia, but was restrained by Floyd Johnson, a pastor friend of Daniel's from Brooklyn Tabernacle. The police were called to the scene to disperse the situation but there were no arrests made.
CBS said that in the incident, one church elder was pushed to the ground after trying to enter the sanctuary where Iampaglia was holding service.
Iampaglia refused to give any further comments, as his lawyer has said that his client chooses to remain silent and to not resign from his post.
