Msgr William Dombrow A priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia responsible for a retirement home for priests faces charges of embezzling more than $535,000 (€503,000) from that same home.
Msgr William Dombrow, 77, was charged by the US District Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia April 5 with four counts of wire fraud in a scheme he is alleged to have devised to siphon off funds intended for care of retired archdiocesan priests at Villa St Joseph where he has served as the rector since 2005.
The authorities allege that Msgr. Dombrow set up a bank account unbeknown to the archdiocese, directed money from the estates of retired or deceased priests as well as bequests of lay donors to Villa St Joseph, and transferred money electronically for his personal use.
The scheme is alleged to have begun in December 2007 and continued until May 2016.
The district attorney charges the priest “had sole access” to the bank account, “which was funded by gifts from wills and life insurance proceeds that were intended for the archdiocese.”