Parishioners in Louisville have accused a Roman Catholic priest of converting church funds for his personal use.
Current and former parish council members at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, at 4839 Southside Drive, filed the lawsuit in Jefferson County against Father Anthony Ngo, news outlets reported.
The lawsuit accuses Ngo of violating his fiduciary duties by pocketing the donations. Ngo has refused to share documents with the parish council about the church’s funds and donations and instructed a parish accountant to withhold the documents as well, the suit says.
“Donations made by parishioners and others to the parish have been converted by (Ngo) without authority or accountability,” the lawsuit said.
Ngo has declined comment, citing the ongoing lawsuit. Louisville Archdiocese spokeswoman Cecelia Price said a financial audit was conducted and “no malfeasance was found.” Ngo has been a pastor for more than two decades and remains assigned to the church.
Price said the audit did identify “some procedural and management issues, and financial procedures will be reinforced for good financial management going forward.”
The lawsuit also said Ngo removed the plaintiffs from their volunteer roles on the parish council out of retaliation.
The plaintiffs seek the return of the allegedly misappropriated funds and attorney’s fees and “any and all other relief, including declaratory and injunctive relief, to which they may appear entitled.”
The 900-member parish is comprised largely of Vietnamese Americans.
(Photo courtesy of thetecordnewspaper.org.)
By the Associated Press and Ken Howlett, News Director
