Wealthy Catholic Donor Tried to Bribe a Victim Into Silence
According to a new lawsuit, a wealthy donor from the Archdiocese of New Orleans attempted to use their vast resources to compel a survivor of childhood sexual abuse to stay silent, hoping to protect the reputation of the Church and the accused. This is a stunning example of how, even in 2021, people will still choose to rally around an abuser they know and like instead of a victim they do not.
The lawsuit filed on Friday contends that the unnamed victim of Deacon V.M. Wheeler was offered $400,000 by “influential Catholics” in the Metairie, LA, area if he would stop cooperating with the criminal investigation into the Deacon. The fact that these people had the gall to not only unearth the identity of the victim but also to then go and attempt to pressure them into staying silent in exchange for money is truly disturbing. We can only question what good these men and women thought they were doing.
An even more disturbing detail is the allegation that a powerful attorney, Vinny Mosca, apparently also contacted the family and told them if they pressed criminal charges against Deacon Wheeler it would be a “media feeding frenzy.” Mosca would later be hired as an attorney for the Deacon himself. This action is beyond inappropriate, and we hope that the Louisiana State Bar will look into whether or not Mosca was attempting to dissuade the family from pursuing criminal charges knowing that he would soon be representing the accused.
Ultimately, this news paints a picture of a toxic and reputation obsessed local culture that is being disturbed by the airing of truths that are uncomfortable and challenging to hear. We are glad that the victim in this case was not pressured by these people and has instead committed to fight for transparency and justice. We hope that John Doe’s example is the one that is followed in this case, and not those of the wealthy who believed they could buy silence.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected]), Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Russ Hebron, SNAP New Orleans ([email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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