London priest charged with stealing $500,000 in funds meant for refugees

A London priest charged with defrauding more than 20 people of hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for Syrian refugees must stay away from gambling casinos until his case is heard, a court ordered Thursday.

The casino ban is one of several bail conditions Father Amer Saka must follow after he turned himself in to face charges laid by London police, still investigating the missing money and asking potential victims to come forward.

Saka — who wore a black jacket and a grey button shirt, his facial hair in a short beard — refused to talk to reporters after Thursday’s court appearance.

Instead, he left quickly with his bishop, Emanuel Shaleta, who is acting as his surety, and another man who wore a priest’s collar and wouldn’t give his name.

“This is a difficult time,” said Saka’s Toronto lawyer, Iryna Revutsky, “(Saka) is a man of God, and he relies on God’s mercy and he also asks for privacy during these difficult times. He is very grateful he has the support of the Chaldean Christian church and the support of his bishop, Emanuel Shaleta.”

Wednesday, after a five-month probe into allegations money entrusted to the priest had gone missing, investigators charged Saka with fraud valued at more than $5,000 and an offence called possessing the proceeds of property or a thing valued at more than $5,000.

Saka was treated in hospital Thursday morning for an undisclosed medical condition and in the afternoon attended a bail hearing and was released into his bishop’s supervision.

There’s a publication ban on evidence heard in the bail hearing. Saka is to return to court Aug. 18.

Formerly the pastor at St. Joseph’s Chaldean Catholic church in London, and an administrator of the Mar Ouraha parish in Kitchener, Saka had been suspended from his duties and was out of the public eye since March, when police said they were investigating reports more than $500,000 had gone missing from a refugee trust fund.

At the time, Shaleta told several media outlets, including The Free Press, that Saka told him he gambled away more than $500,000 given to him by parishioners — including seven or eight families from the small church in London — who trusted Saka to hold it for refugee relatives under a private sponsorship program.

The news shocked those in London’s tiny Chaldean Catholic community, which is mostly made up of first- generation immigrants to Canada.

Some had turned over life savings to help bring their refugee relatives to Canada, and suddenly it appeared the money was gone and they didn’t know if loved ones would be able to immigrate at all.

But days after the scandal broke, the Hamilton Roman Catholic Diocese promised to facilitate any sponsorships started through Saka, a promise it renewed this week.

In later interviews, parish members told The Free Press they’d forgiven the priest and hoped he got the help he needed.

One friend of Saka’s told the newspaper last spring that the priest — who’d told friends he once ministered to prisoners at Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison — was “very distressed. . . not in a good way,” and terrified of ending up in prison.

Police wouldn’t comment on the gambling allegations Thursday, but said Saka is alleged to have obtained money “under the guise of a sponsorship program” to help settle refugees in Canada.

“The basis of alleged fraud is unique because it is alleged to have taken advantage of refugees who are using federal-run programs,” said London police Const. Sandasha Bough.

The more than 20 alleged victims are from “Ontario, the U.S. and other countries,” said Bough,

adding police believe there are more. “We are hoping that if anybody was a victim, or had any dealings with Amer Saka, that they contact us,” she said.

Revutsky said Saka remains “committed to his Christian faith and his parishioners.”

Asked how Saka intends to plead in the case, Revutsky said it was too early to tell.

Under the federal government’s private sponsorship program, people who want to sponsor refugees must raise money to support the newcomers as they get settled. About $12,000 must be raised to sponsor one refugee, and $27,000 to sponsor a family.

Faith-based organizations often partner with the government to help with the process by holding the money, making the application and essentially vouching for the sponsors. The money is used for rent and expenses during the first year after newcomers arrive.

In earlier interviews, Shaleta, head of Canada’s Mar Addai Chaldean Eparchy, an Eastern Rite church that represents Catholics from Iraq and surrounding countries, and which is overseen by the Vatican, said the problem came to light in February, when he learned the priest was taking part in the federal refugee-sponsorship program through the Hamilton Roman Catholic Diocese.

Saka’s London parish has a congregation of about 100 families, said Shaleta. They’re among about 38,000 Chaldean Catholics across the country.

Thursday, the Hamilton Diocese renewed its vow to help with all sponsorships begun through Saka, with Bishop Douglas Crosby releasing a statement but declining to discuss the case with it before the courts.

“In light of the recent charges laid against Father Amir Saka, I wish to affirm, that the Diocese of Hamilton remains committed to the continuing care and support of all refugees under the Diocese’s sponsorship program, including those whose sponsorship may have involved Father Saka,” he wrote.

Police asking anyone who may have had dealings with Saka to contact them at 519 661-5670.

jlobrien@postmedia.com