Investigation Unfolds as Pennsylvania Pastor Admits to Rigging Church Raffle

Pastor Admits to Manipulating Church Raffle

A Catholic priest from Erie, Pennsylvania, has confessed to tampering with the results of a church raffle that featured a grand prize of a Chevy Corvette Stingray 1LT. Concerns have also been raised about potential misuse of the raffle proceeds.

Background of the Raffle and Initial Discovery

The raffle, which took place in December 2024, sold tickets at $50 each with a total of 1,000 tickets available. The fundraiser aimed to generate approximately $420,000 for the church. The main prize options included the Corvette, valued at around $82,000, or a cash alternative of $50,000.

The winner was announced on Christmas Day as Martin Anderson from Detroit. However, it soon became clear that no such person existed, sparking suspicion of foul play.

Investigations and Admission of Wrongdoing

The Erie County District Attorney’s Office launched an investigation and obtained search warrants for the church’s and St Jude’s offices in March 2025. During questioning, the priest admitted to falsifying the raffle outcome and transferring funds from the raffle account to another church-controlled account.

Authorities are now examining whether the pastor spent any of these funds on gambling by reviewing his financial transactions and expenses.

Scrutiny of Financial Transactions and Current Status

Included in the investigation are transfers totaling $300,000 from the church’s account to the pastor’s American Express credit card between January 2024 and March 2025. Despite these findings, the pastor has not yet been formally charged.

Meanwhile, the church has decided to reassign the pastor to a different parish as the investigation continues.