A London pastor is under investigation by police after more than $500,000 for refugee sponsorship vanished from a Catholic Parish.
London police received the initial fraud complaint on February 24.
"We are currently investigating an alleged fraud as a result of a complaint from the Diocese of Hamilton," says Constable Melissa Duncan.
A statement from the Diocese of London says Father Amer Saka was serving as the pastor at St. Joseph’s Chaldean Catholic Church in London and administrator of Mar Ouraha’s mission in Kitchener.
"He is a pastor of the Chaldean Catholic Church and is not a priest of the Diocese of London," the statement reads.
It goes on to say "he comes under the authority of Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, Eparchial Bishop of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto. The Diocese of London has supported, and will continue to support, Bishop Shaleta and the Eparchy of Mar Addai in their investigation."
The Eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto has 38,000 Catholics and is only Chaldean diocese in Canada.
At this point no charges have been laid.
"The investigation is still underway," says Duncan. "Obviously, investigations involving any type of fraud are very complex. Various records and statements need to be obtained and these investigations are usually very lengthy."