The Erie County District Attorney’s (DA) Office is investigating a Catholic priest who allegedly rigged a church fundraiser involving a luxury car, according to WJET.
Father Ross Miceli of St. Jude the Apostle Church in Pennsylvania is accused of announcing a fake winner for the church’s annual Corvette fundraiser, WJET reported Wednesday. Father Miceli allegedly named “Martin Anderson” from Detroit, Michigan, as the winner of the grand prize on Christmas Day 2024. He also allegedly later admitted the grand prize was never distributed, according to the outlet, who cited an affidavit from Millcreek Township District Justice Laurie Mikielski’s office.
A search warrant executed at the church office and the rectory found a variety of high-end items purportedly owned by Father Miceli, including a new Tesla. Although official charges have not yet been filed, the priest is under investigation for alleged theft by unlawful taking or disposition and rigging a publicly exhibited contest, WJET reported.
According to the Erie Times-News, the church raffled off an $82,000 orange convertible Stingray 1LT, which it had displayed on the parish’s greenspace. The raffle was administered online, making it open to residents from across the U.S. Tickets were sold at $50 each in hopes of selling 9,999 tickets to raise almost $500,000.
The winner of the raffle could choose the car or $50,000. Four-digit ticket numbers were assigned at random via a computer and needed to match the winning number in that evening’s Pick 4 Pennsylvania Lottery drawing, the outlet reported. (RELATED: ‘First Time This Ever Happened To Me’: Man Allegedly Attacks Teenage Boy With Chemical-Laced Handkerchief)
Father Miceli allegedly confided in a church employee, claiming he needed to make up the winner’s name due to an issue with the raffle and no one being assigned to the winning ticket number. The employee then reported the incident to Bishop Lawrence T. Persico. In addition, Father Miceli purportedly admitted fabricating some of the winners of the church’s “12 Days of Christmas” prize drawing, the Erie Times-News indicated.
Father Miceli was ordained in 2020, according to a Facebook post. He is departing St. Jude the Apostle Church, and he was appointed as sacramental assistant to two other parishes in July.
The Diocese of Erie is cooperating with the investigation, WJET reported.