Diocese of Stockton issues warning of Catholic Clergy imposters operating in Modesto
MODESTO - The Diocese of Stockton sent out an alert Friday warning people in Modesto about individuals the diocese says are claiming to be Spanish-speaking Catholic bishops and priests engaging in fraudulent activities.
The diocese says the individuals are engaging in fraudulent activities related to sacraments and sacramentals. It says the imposters are misappropriating the identities of priests in Mexico and conducting unauthorized celebrations of baptism, confirmation, First Communion, and house blessings under false pretenses.
"I feel like this is a really predatory type of behavior," said Erin Haight, a diocese spokesperson.
The imposters are also accused of using the names of priests in Mexico, including Father Jose Adan Gonzalez Estrada and Bishop Raul Gomez Gonzalez of the Archdiocese of Toluca.
What are the Catholic impostors doing?
The imposters have charged fees for celebrating the sacraments, teaching classes, and issuing certificates, according to the Diocese of Stockton. They have also demanded birth certificate submissions, which raises concerns about human trafficking and identity theft.
According to officials, the fraudsters target non-English-speaking families. The diocese says the imposters are — when services are questioned – using intimidation tactics, such as questioning their identity and threatening legal action.
"They were threatened with defamation lawsuits, or they were charged even more money because they were questioning it, which is disgusting," Haight said.
Law enforcement has been alerted in Modesto, but only victims can file complaints and begin investigations. Victims are urged to call 911 to report the crime.
The Diocese of Stockton says Catholic sacraments are typically administered within Catholic churches. For victims who baptized their children who later want to get married in the church, they will have to perform the sacraments later as an adult because the church will not have legitimate records, according to the diocese.
