MINNESOTA
Reporter
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: January 23, 2014
ST. PAUL, Minnesota — The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis paid millions of dollars in costs associated with clergy misconduct in the last decade, according to internal church documents.
An investigation by Minnesota Public Radio News (http://bit.ly/1aMnkYs ) found that from 2002 to 2011 the archdiocese used two secret accounts that were controlled by the archbishop to pay nearly $11 million in costs related to allegations against priests.
The figure represents about 3 percent of overall archdiocese revenues in those years.
MPR reported Thursday that the money was used for persuading priests to leave active ministry, for legal settlements, for therapy for victims and priests, and other costs. The documents also show the archdiocese paid a private investigator $112,000 over 10 years.
The system allowed archdiocese leaders to remove priests accused of child abuse or other misconduct without attracting attention. But the secrecy also left the archdiocese vulnerable to embezzlement.
The archdiocese did not immediately return messages left Thursday by The Associated Press. In a statement issued to MPR, it said a new chief financial officer hired in December 2012 has started implementing procedures for greater transparency.
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