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View of Malta's capital Valletta: damage of almost half a million euros?
Photo: Rick Senley / imago images/Design Pics
A 39-year-old priest from Malta had a talent that is sometimes important for the Catholic Church: he managed to collect large sums of money for donations.
However, he is said to have embezzled around 500,000 euros, which around 150 parishioners gave him over a period of ten years for church purposes, according to media reports in the country in the Mediterranean.
He is said to have spent up to 150,000 euros of the sum on pornography, as the Times of Malta reported.
Prosecutors traced the six-figure sum to payment processing companies linked to porn websites that host live sex shows.
Cleric rejects criminal behavior
The priest from a parish in the south of the smallest EU country now has to answer in court for embezzlement and money laundering over a period of ten years.
According to the Times of Malta, the suspect is said to have told investigators that he had spent the money after a "sexual crisis".
The Maltese local church suspended him because of the ongoing proceedings.
However, the priest pleaded not guilty to all counts of money laundering and embezzlement.
According to the Times of Malta, the man's lawyers said their client denied any wrongdoing - and referred to the presumption of innocence.
However, it became known in court that the accused had hundreds of thousands of euros in several bank accounts, although he only drew an annual salary of around 20,000 euros.
He also owned a collection of five motorcycles and two cars.
It was also revealed at the trial that he received checks for thousands of euros from a man from the parish who was suffering from dementia at the time they were issued.
In the meantime this one has died.
According to prosecutors, the priest said the checks were a return for donations previously received by the elderly man.
The check money is said to have been intended for charitable organizations.
apr/dpa
