Sunday, February 18, 2007

Pilla had hidden account, ex-CFO says

Diocese denies charges by indicted financial officer

Sunday, February 18, 2007
Plain Dealer

Former Cleveland Catholic Bishop Anthony Pilla received $177,000 in money and furniture over a decade from an off-the-books church account set up to hide the transactions, a former diocesan official said.

The accusation came in a 40-page motion filed Friday in U.S. District Court by lawyers representing Joseph Smith, the former diocesan chief financial officer. Lawyers for Anton Zgoznik, a former diocesan employee, later joined the motion.

Smith and Zgoznik are accused of defrauding the Cleveland Catholic Diocese out of at least $784,000 over seven years in an elaborate kickback scheme. The two men maintain they simply followed orders from diocesan supervisors, including Pilla, and are taking the fall for the church's poorly managed finances. More.....

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On the surface, things may not look good for Bishop Pilla. I am quite confident that when all the facts come out, his good name and reputation will be cleared.

We can be sure anything our Bishop did was in the best interest of the Diocese and the Catholic Church.

Considering the allegations are coming from two (2) men facing a long time in prison, I am suprised they did not say the Pope was involved in their scheme.

KING

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