(OSV News) — A Brooklyn, New York, priest has been relieved of his duties as pastor after an investigation revealed he had transferred close to $2 million in parish funds to bank accounts affiliated with the embattled New York City mayor’s former chief of staff.
In a Nov. 18 statement, Bishop Robert J. Brennan of Brooklyn announced he had relieved Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Brooklyn, “of any pastoral oversight or governance role at the Parish because he has mishandled substantial church funds and interfered with the administration of the Parish after being directed not to do so.”
In addition, Bishop Brennan also removed the parish’s temporary administrator, Deacon Dean Dobbins, “because of his use of racist and other offensive language during private conversations held in the Parish office, which were apparently recorded at Monsignor Gigantiello’s direction without the Deacon’s consent.”
The bishop said while “it was wrong to secretly record Deacon Dobbins … the use of such language by any church employee is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.” The deacon has been placed on administrative leave.
Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski has been appointed to assume “full authority over all decisions in the parish,” said Bishop Brennan in his statement.
In a Nov. 19 email to OSV News, the Diocese of Brooklyn said that “Msgr. Gigantiello remains a priest and can say Mass as assigned by Bishop Witold Mroziewski.”
In a Nov. 22 Facebook message, Msgr. Gigantiello thanked his “Family Friends, Parishioners, Face Book Followers, Bishops, Brother Priests, Deacons, Religious Sisters and the Faithful of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Beyond” for their “Prayers, Support and believing in me during this most difficult time in my life!”
He added, “Please know that I am still the Pastor of OLMC / Annunciation and I continue to do what I have been called to do, be a Priest, Serving You and being there when you need me!”
The diocese confirmed in an email to OSV News Nov. 22 that “Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello is still the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish but Bishop Witold Mroziewski has complete pastoral and administrative oversight of the parish.”
In its Nov. 18 statement, the diocese said that it was “fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement in all investigations.”
Asked by OSV News if Msgr. Gigantiello faced any canonical investigations — particularly under Canon 1376, which addresses theft and negligence of “ecclesiastical goods” — the diocese said in a Nov. 19 email that it was “fully committed to following proper canonical procedures.”
In November 2023, Bishop Brennan removed Msgr. Gigantiello from his post as the diocese’s vicar for development, following outrage over the priest’s rental of his parish church for use in a violent, sexually provocative video by pop musician Sabrina Carpenter.
Scenes from the video for the song “Feather” showed Carpenter dancing and performing inside and outside the church, including in the sanctuary where the altar is located. Bishop Brennan celebrated a Mass of reparation a few days after the shoot.
Following the scandal, Bishop Brennan “also initiated a broader administrative review of compliance with Diocesan policies and procedures,” said the diocese in its Nov. 18 release.
The review, conducted by the management consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal and the legal firm Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, “uncovered a pattern of serious violations of Diocesan policies and protocols by Monsignor Gigantiello,” said the diocese.
From 2019 to 2021, the priest had transferred “a total of $1.9 million in Parish funds to bank accounts affiliated” with the law firm of business attorney Frank Carone, who in 2022 had stepped down as chief of staff for New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Adams has been charged with bribery and fraud in a federal investigation that has expanded to include other officials in city government. Carone has previously told media that he is unaware of being the subject of any criminal investigations. OSV News has contacted Carone’s office for comment and is awaiting a response.
The diocese said in its Nov. 18 statement that Msgr. Gigantiello’s first transfer of parish funds saw $1 million moved to Carone’s law firm, Abram Fensterman LLP.
“Monsignor did not inform Diocesan officials or seek the required approval for this transfer. He did not properly document this transfer or obtain necessary details from Mr. Carone about the use of these funds,” said the diocese. “This $1 million transfer violated Diocesan investment policies and protocols. Between June 2020 and June 2021, Mr. Carone’s law firm repaid these funds, along with the equivalent of approximately 9% interest.”
In August and November of 2021, the priest made “two additional transfers, totaling $900,000, of Parish funds intended for two companies affiliated with Mr. Carone,” specifically Cesco, LLC and Lex Ave 660 Partners LLC, without required notification or approval, said the diocese, which noted that Msgr. Gigantiello “apparently made both transfers pursuant to notes providing one-year repayment terms at agreed interest rates.”
In February 2022, said the diocese, Msgr. Gigantiello again bypassed diocesan financial controls, and “requested early repayment of the principal amounts for both loans without requiring the payment to the Parish of the substantial interest provided for under the notes.”
The transfers to Carone’s firm are in addition to “other instances in which Monsignor Gigantiello used and transferred Parish funds in violation of Diocesan policies and protocols,” said the diocese. “He also used a church credit card for substantial personal expenses. Those transactions remain under investigation.
Msgr. Gigantiello has been a priest in the diocese since 1995, beginning as the parochial vicar at St. Patrick’s Parish in Bay Ridge. He has been pastor at Our Lady Mount Carmel-Annunciation since 2017, and he became the diocese’s vicar for development in 2011. He is also a chaplain to the New York City Fire Department.
Prior to joining seminary, Msgr. Gigantiello attended culinary school and worked at a high-end restaurant. He is the author of “Breaking Bread,” a cookbook published by Emmaus Press in 2022.
Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @GinaJesseReina.
Updated 4:15 p.m. CST Nov. 22, 2024.
