Starkville priest is at the center of a criminal investigation
involving a string of fraudulent charity efforts that federal agents
believe was covered up by church leaders in Jackson.
According to a 37-page affidavit filed Friday by Department of
Homeland Security Special Agent William G. Childers in U.S. District
Court in Jackson, an ongoing investigation into Father Lenin
Vargas-Gutierrez, a pastor at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Starkville,
shows the priest is accused of lying about being diagnosed with cancer
and soliciting money from parishioners for treatment and other pet
projects.
The Catholic Diocese of Jackson on Monday
posted to its website,
saying federal agents served search and seizure warrants on the
chancery office and on St. Joseph Parish on Wednesday, Nov. 7.
Vargas, a native of Mexico, has been in Starkville for roughly five
years, according to court records and agents claim, through the use of
confidential informants, that Vargas, who was actually diagnosed with
HIV in 2014, used the fake cancer claims to solicit tens of thousands of
dollars from church parishioners over the last several years.
Court docs allege priest lied about cancer diagnosis, sex addiction therapy and charity projects | Starkville Daily News
