First, he was caught up in a Sabrina Carpenter scandal. Then, financial records tied him to Eric Adams’ former aide.
Now, the Rev. Jamie Gigantiello, a Catholic priest, has been “stripped of his duties” at his church in Brooklyn, New York, according to The Associated Press.
“In order to safeguard the public trust, and to protect church funds, I have appointed Bishop Witold Mroziewski as administrator of the Parish,” Bishop Robert Brennan, who leads the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, said in a statement.
Sabrina Carpenter music video
The Rev. Gigantiello’s current troubles began when he approved a request from Carpenter’s team for the pop star to film a music video in Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The “Feather” video turned out more scandalous than the priest had expected. In it, a scantily clad Carpenter celebrates when multiple love interests die, as the Deseret News previously reported.
The Rev. Gigantiello apologized for allowing the filming in a November 2023 statement posted on his church’s Facebook page.
“I offer my sincere apologies to the Bishop, the Diocese, my faithful parishioners and all of you for this shameful representation, which I whole-heartedly renounce. I ask that following the very example of Christ’s forgiveness, you find it possible to forgive my oversight in this unfortunate matter,” he wrote.
The diocese launched an investigation into the Carpenter video and determined that the Rev. Gigantiello had not followed church policy for filming requests.
The priest was relieved of “his administrative oversight of the parish” as a result of the investigation, as The New York Times reported at the time.
Priest tied to Adams controversy
The Rev. Gigantiello was then relieved of his pastoral duties after an additional investigation “revealed other instances of mismanagement,” per the AP.
The diocese said the priest was found to have made “unauthorized financial transfers to a former top aide in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, which is being investigated on charges of corruption,” the AP reported.
Adams himself was charged with bribery and mismanagement of campaign finances in late September.
The Rev. Gigantiello and the former Adams aide, Frank Carone, have not been accused of or charged with wrongdoing by law enforcement, but federal investigators have subpoenaed the church seeking information about their financial transactions, the AP reported.
Moving forward, the Rev. Gigantiello can still say Mass in his church, but only with the approval of the parish administrator.