The Brooklyn Diocese has now demoted Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, of Williamsburg’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel, after an internal investigation revealed that Gigantiello mishandled nearly $2 million in church funds, THE CITY first reported.
Gigantiello remains the head of the parish, but has been relieved of any administrative oversight, Bishop Robert Brennan said in a statement to THE CITY.
The monsignor apparently “transferred $1.9 million in parish funds between 2019 and 2021 to bank accounts affiliated with a law firm and two companies owned by Frank Carone,” a high-powered attorney who previously served as Mayor Eric Adams’ chief of staff. Gigantiello told THE CITY that the money transfers were investments meant to benefit the parish. He also speculated to the outlet that the diocese was targeting him out of jealousy from his professional success.
The diocese launched its investigation after the monsignor allowed pop star Sabrina Carpenter to film a racy video at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Federal investigators subpoenaed the church in September while looking into business ties between Gigantiello and Carone. The men co-founded an LLC called DMC Capital Group, which apparently invested in a business involved in an insurance fraud scheme.
“The diocese is still investigating additional transfers of money and a church credit card Gigantiello used for ‘substantial personal expenses,’” a spokesperson told THE CITY.
Gigantiello, known to the community as Monsignor Jamie, has been at OLMC since 2007, overseeing diocese fundraising before being stripped of those duties in the wake of the music video scandal last year. It’s not yet clear how this demotion could affect the summer’s annual Giglio Feast, over which Gigantiello presides.
I used to go to middle school here like 20 years ago. This place was always sketchy
Religion, the biggest scam in all history. A colossal waste of time.