The Silent Scandal: How Parish Fraud Goes Undetected for Years | Dr. Rob Warren

Apr 5, 2025

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Host Conor Gallagher sits down with Dr. Rob Warren, a retired IRS investigator and current professor of accounting at Radford University. With decades of experience in forensic accounting, Dr. Warren is a leading expert in uncovering financial misconduct—particularly within religious institutions, including the Catholic Church.

Through gripping real-life cases, Dr. Warren unpacks the mechanics of fraud, the mindset behind it, and the financial blind spots in many parishes. They delve into The Fraud Triangle, analyze shocking scandals like those of Fr. John Mattingly and Cardinal McCarrick, and tackle tough questions: Should priests return to ministry after financial misconduct? Does clerical privilege exist in the courtroom?

But this isn’t just about scandal. As Dr. Warren explains, the goal is redemptive: to strengthen the Church, ensure accountability, and protect its mission.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned with transparency, financial integrity, and the future of the Church.

CHAPTERS

(0:00) Coming Up / Introduction
(4:14) Rob Warren’s Background
(6:24) How Did You Get Into This?
(14:16) Why Talk About This?
(16:51) The Fraud Triangle
(21:15) Priests’ Salaries and Allowances
(24:56) Pressure in the Parish
(36:46) Examples and Stories
(40:51) Why Do They Do It?
(58:46) Is the Court System Easier or Harder on Priests?
(1:10:52) Sexual Scandals
(1:18:21) Young Man Defends His Pastor
(1:23:37) The Curious Case of Fr. John Mattingly
(1:31:31) The Cardinal McCarrick Scandal
(1:34:09) Archbishop Rembert Weakland Blackmail Case
(1:38:18) Internal Controls: How Do We Help Priests?
(1:58:01) Demographics / Trends Amongst These Issues
(2:08:30) The Third Secret of Fatima?
(2:10:46) Priests Living Alone
(2:13:49) Does This Dampen Your Faith?
(2:14:59) The Problem of Transparency
(2:23:01) Good News Regarding Financial Management
(2:26:37) EWTN News and the Satanic Temple
(2:30:41) Two Areas of Research: Priest Fraud and Federal Tax Gap
(2:41:36) Final Advice to Priests, Parish Councils, Committees, and Dioceses

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