A New York priest who allowed popstar Sabrina Carpenter to shoot a music video in his church has been stripped of his duties after he “mishandled substantial church funds,” according to the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello violated Diocese policy when he permitted Carpenter to film her video for “Feather” at his church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish, in Brooklyn in September 2023, Bishop Robert J. Brennan said in a statement sent to USA TODAY on Tuesday.
Due to Gigantiello’s violation, he was removed as the diocese’s Vicar for Development and relieved from all administrative and financial oversight at the parish, according to Brennan’s statement. The diocese also decided to hire Alvarez & Marsal and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, firms based in New York, to conduct a “broader administrative review of compliance with diocesan policies and procedures” at Gigantiello’s church, the bishop wrote.
Brennan announced the results of the review in his statement, saying, “I am saddened to share that investigations conducted by Alvarez & Marsal and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP have uncovered evidence of serious violations of Diocesan policies and protocols at Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish.”
USA TODAY contacted Gigantiello, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Carpenter’s reps on Tuesday but did not immediately receive a response.
Bishop: Jamie Gigantiello allegedly secretly recorded private conversations in parish
In addition to Gigantiello allegedly mishandling funds, Brennan claimed the priest secretly recorded private conversations in the parish and “interfered with the administration of the parish after being directed not to do so.” One of the recorded conversations involved the temporary administrator, Deacon Dean Dobbins, who took Gigantiello’s place following Carpenter’s video shoot using “racist and other offensive language,” according to the bishop.
Dobbins, who is also listed as a parish deacon for Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church in Queens, was relieved from his role at Our Lady of Mount Carmel due to the language he used in the recorded video, Brennan announced.
USA TODAY contacted Dobbins on Tuesday but has not received a response.
What other Diocese violations is Jamie Gigantiello accused of?
Gigantiello is also accused of transferring $1 million of Parish funds to the law firm, Abrams Fensterman LLP, in January 2019, according to Brennan. The diocesan did not approve or know about the transfer, he added. Between June 2020 and June 2021, the law firm repaid the funds, along with the equivalent of about 9% interest, the bishop wrote in his statement.
In August 2021 and November 2021, Gigantiello authorized two additional transfers, totaling $900,000, of parish funds intended for two companies owned by the owner of Abrams Fensterman LLP, according to Brennan. The priest did not get permission from the diocesan for either of these transfers, the bishop added.
The diocese’s review also found other instances in which Gigantiello used and transferred parish funds violating diocesan policies and protocols, Brennan’s statement reads. He also allegedly used a church credit card for “substantial personal expenses,” the bishop wrote, adding that the diocesan is currently cooperating with law enforcement.
Jamie Gigantiello: ‘I offer my sincere apologies’
Days after the release of Carpenter’s video in October 2023, Gigantiello released a statement apologizing for allowing the singer to film the “proactive music video” in his church.
“I offer my sincere apologies to the Bishop, the Diocese, my faithful parishioners and all of you for this shameful representation, which I whole-heartedly renounce,” Gigantiello’s statement reads. “I ask that following the very example of Christ’s forgiveness, you find it possible to forgive my oversight in this unfortunate matter.”
In addition to apologizing, Gigantiello explained how he or the parish staff “were not aware that anything provocative was occurring,” because they were not present at the time of the shooting. According to the priest’s statement, Carpenter was supposed to film most of the video outside, near the church.
“While I take full responsibility for the erroneous decision to allow the filming, I want to assure you that I had no knowledge that such a scene would be filmed in our church which we worked so hard to restore to its present sacred beauty,” Gigantiello wrote.
It is unclear what particular scene Gigantiello is referring to, but in the music video, Carpenter can be seen wearing a black skirt and parading around colorful caskets positioned at the front of the church.
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