A London priest is facing fraud charges after more than $500,000 meant to settle refugees in Canada vanished.
London police say Father Amer Saka was arrested on Wednesday. He is now charged with fraud over $5,000 and possessing proceeds of property or things exceeding $5,000.
Police began investigating Saka after receiving a fraud complaint from the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton on February 24.
It's alleged through the course of his employment as a Chaldean Priest, Saka obtained substantial sums of money from over 20 victims under the guise of a sponsorship program to bring refugee families into Canada.
Police have not released the total sum of money lost other than to say it was more than $500,000.
They say their investigation spanned throughout the Province of Ontario, the United States, and other countries where refugees were attempting to come to Canada.
Saka was serving as the priest at St. Joseph’s Chaldean Catholic Church in London and administrator of Mar Ouraha’s mission in Kitchener. He worked under Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, Eparchial Bishop of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto.
The Eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto has 38,000 Catholics and is the only Chaldean diocese in Canada.
