Embezzling priest won't report today for 37-month prison term
A day before a Catholic priest convicted of stealing $1 million from his Darien church was to report to prison, a federal judge granted him a third delay.
At about 5:30 p.m. yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Janet Bond Arterton postponed until Aug. 6 the date the Rev. Michael Jude Fay, former pastor of St. John Roman Catholic Church, begins serving his three-year prison sentence.
Fay, who has prostate cancer, was to surrender today at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, N.C., but made his delay request last week to allow more time for the Bureau of Prisons to determine whether it can administer a new cancer drug to him.
(snip)
Fay was pastor of St. John for 15 years. Prosecutors said he stole $1.3 million from his Darien parish from 1999 to 2006, funneling much of it into secret bank accounts. Fay admitted stealing but said the amount was $400,000 to $1 million, because he used some of the money to buy gifts for church employees and volunteers.
Records obtained by The Advocate show Fay used a church credit card to purchase designer clothing, Cartier jewelry, limousine rides and Ethan Allen furniture.
Many of the purchases were made in New York City, Philadelphia - where his event planner boyfriend, Clifford Fantini, lives - and Florida, where the couple owned a condominium. In December 2006, Fay turned over his share in the Fort Lauderdale condominium to his former parish, but the church has not sold the property because Fantini still owns half.
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http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_9813926