Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, a prominent leader of a church in Brooklyn, New York, has been stripped of his duties following an internal investigation that uncovered multiple instances of financial mismanagement and procedural violations.
The decision, made public on Monday by Bishop Robert Brennan of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, came after Gigantiello allowed pop star Sabrina Carpenter to film scenes for her music video in the church.
The investigation, which followed the release of Carpenter’s video for her song “Feathers”, revealed unauthorized financial transfers and other breaches of church policy.
Gigantiello was relieved of all pastoral oversight responsibilities at Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish in the Williamsburg neighborhood, and Bishop Witold Mroziewski was appointed as the new administrator of the parish.
Bishop Brennan shared that the probe, conducted by the law firms Alvarez & Marsal and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, uncovered “serious violations” of diocesan policies, particularly regarding the management of church funds.
“In order to safeguard the public trust and protect church resources, I have appointed Bishop Witold Mroziewski as administrator of the Parish,” Brennan said in a statement. “This includes full authority over all liturgical matters and parish governance.”
The investigation was initiated after Carpenter’s music video was filmed at the church in late October 2023.
The video, which features scenes of Carpenter interacting with men before they meet grisly deaths, sparked outrage due to its provocative content.
In one scene, the singer arrives at the church in a pink hearse and performs a dance in front of the church’s altar, dressed in a short black dress and veil, surrounded by faux coffins.
The diocese expressed its disapproval, stating that proper filming procedures were not followed and that the video’s content was inappropriate for the sacred setting.
Gigantiello, who had authorized the shoot, later described it as a “lapse in judgment,” explaining that he was not present during the filming and did not anticipate the controversial nature of the scenes. Despite this, the fallout from the video led to broader scrutiny of Gigantiello’s management of the church, with further allegations of financial misconduct coming to light.
The investigation revealed that from 2019 to 2021, Gigantiello transferred $1.9 million in parish funds to accounts associated with Frank Carone, the former chief of staff for New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
These transactions were reportedly made without prior approval and lacked proper documentation, violating the diocese’s investment policies.
Although Carone’s law firm repaid $1 million of the funds, including interest, Gigantiello had requested early repayment for the remaining balance without the significant interest stipulated in the loan terms. The federal authorities have since subpoenaed the church for records related to the financial dealings of Gigantiello and Carone, though neither individual has been charged with wrongdoing.
In addition to the financial issues, Gigantiello faced allegations of inappropriate behavior involving a deacon, who had been temporarily appointed as a parish administrator during the investigation. This deacon was found to have used offensive, racist language during private conversations, which had been secretly recorded at Gigantiello’s direction. In response, Brennan announced that the deacon had also been relieved of his duties.
Along with his removal from his pastoral and administrative duties, Gigantiello was also stripped of his role as vicar of development for the diocese. As a result, he will no longer oversee fundraising efforts for the church. In addition, a spiritual rite was conducted to restore the sanctity of the church, following the controversy surrounding both the music video and the financial misconduct.
Bishop Brennan emphasized that the diocese was committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement in all ongoing investigations, particularly concerning the improper financial transactions. “The Diocese is fully committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in all its operations,” he stated.
