Ukrainian Catholic Priest Who Traded S*x for Drugs and Bought Ford Mustang With Embezzled Church Funds Arrested

A Ukrainian Catholic priest has been arrested in Florida and charged with embezzling more than USD 740,000 from church accounts, parishioners, and his own mother to fund a lifestyle of luxury travel, gambling, and narcotics. Gregory A. Madeya, 69, was taken into custody Friday in Vero Beach, Florida. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has charged him with multiple counts of theft by unlawful taking, financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, and related financial offences stemming from an investigation that began in 2018.

Embezzlement and Financial Exploitation

Investigators state that Madeya misappropriated roughly USD 320,000 from three Western Pennsylvania churches, parishioners, and donors, while also siphoning over USD 230,000 from his mother’s investment accounts and failing to pay more than USD 248,000 in taxes, reports TribLive. US: Former Teacher Who Gifted Student S*x Toy Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison.

According to a criminal complaint, Madeya used his position as power of attorney to drain funds meant for his mother's care, resulting in her eviction from multiple nursing home facilities. Church funds and cash were also allegedly redirected to pay for luxury vacations, including international cruises with Norwegian Cruise Line and trips to Key West, Florida. Witnesses told investigators that Madeya sold church property, including a gold chalice sold to a jeweller for USD 19,440, and kept proceeds from parish fundraisers, rental fees, and weekly collections.

Investigation and Drug Accusations

The probe began in February 2023 when the attorney general’s office teamed up with local police in Grove City, McKeesport, and Allegheny County to investigate suspected narcotics activity and financial misconduct. Searches of trash from a West Mifflin residence shared by Madeya and another man, Marc Mowod, yielded over 100 stamp bags containing heroin residue, 22 hypodermic needles, and broken glass pipes. According to police affidavits, Mowod told investigators he met Madeya through another priest and engaged in s*xual acts at local hotels in exchange for cash and drugs. Mowod stated that Madeya eventually bought him a 2018 Ford Mustang for USD 35,500 in cash and was given access to church bank accounts. Mowod pleaded no contest to felony larceny and fraud charges in Monroe County, Florida, after stealing a woman’s purse at Key West International Airport in 2023.

Parishioner Reactions and Church Response

Madeya was suspended from his position in the Ukrainian Catholic Church in February 2024, according to the St. Josaphat Eparchy in Ohio, which stated it is cooperating with authorities and working through its insurance company to recover lost funds. Parishioners expressed shock and dismay over the scope of the alleged betrayal. Frank Conti, a treasurer and recording secretary for a McKeesport Knights of Columbus council that allegedly lost thousands of dollars meant for church repairs, noted that Madeya maintained deep trust within the community. Gay Adult Star Hunter Hardin Aka LuLu LoveBottom, Dies at 30.

“As someone who’s been in business a long time, you get to learn when people are lying to you,” Conti said. “But when I spoke with him as all of this started, he looked me in the eye and said, ‘It’s all just a big mistake and this will all blow over.’ And I wanted to believe him," he added. Richard Mitoch, a 77-year-old parishioner at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, recalled warning signs such as requests to switch cash donations to checks as financial irregularities mounted. “Father Gregory, he was a good person,” Mitoch said. “But I don’t know what he was doing.” Madeya is currently jailed in Florida awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 10, 2026 08:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).