Manhattan Franciscan friar pleads guilty to fraud related to fake medical charity in Beirut, Lebanon

Date: Nov. 14, 2024

Contact: [email protected]

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that Pawel Bielecki, a/k/a "Paul HRH Saxe-Coburg-Gotha," a Manhattan-based Franciscan friar, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti to one count of wire fraud for perpetrating a multiyear scheme to obtain donations for a fake medical charity in Beirut, Lebanon.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: "This case serves as a stark reminder that fraudsters can exploit even the most noble causes for personal gain. Pawel Bielecki's deceptive actions not only robbed individuals of their hard-earned money but also undermined the spirit of generosity that drives charitable giving. This Office is committed to holding accountable those who take advantage of well-meaning donors and will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of charitable organizations in our communities."

According to the allegations contained in the Information, plea agreement, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:

Bielecki is a friar in the Capuchin Order, a Catholic order of priests and brothers, who is based out of a friary in New York City. Bielecki engaged in a fraudulent scheme related to fake medical clinics he claimed to operate in Lebanon. Through appearances and advertisements on radio programs and online podcasts, as well as various other media, including campaigns on various crowdfunding websites, Bielecki fraudulently obtained more than $560,000 in donations from victims by claiming, among other misrepresentations, to run medical clinics in Beirut, Lebanon, when in fact Bielecki was keeping victims' donations for his personal use.

Bielecki of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal (IRS-CI). Mr. Williams also thanked the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance in the investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office's White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levander and Ryan W. Allison are in charge of the prosecution.

IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a more than a 90 percent federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 12 attaché posts abroad.