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Priest facing federal charges

Louisa priest indicted on federal money-laundering charges

BY ELLEN BILTZ

Date published: 8/22/2007

BY ELLEN BILTZ

A priest facing 13 felony counts in Louisa County for embezzling money from churches now faces federal charges.

Rodney Lee Rodis, 51, was indicted yesterday on mail fraud , wire fraud and money laundering by a federal grand jury for allegedly wiring money from Virginia Beach to the Philippines, according to the United States Attorney's Office.

He is accused of wiring at least $515,000, of which he is alleged to have obtained from parishioners at his Louisa parishes.

Prosecutors say he established bank accounts and a post office box and directed parishioners to mail their contributions to the post office box, after which he'd transfer the money and wire the funds.

The federal charges are being investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Service and State Police.

Rodis served at Catholic Churches St. Jude in Mineral and Immaculate Conception in Bumpass for the 13 years he was a local priest.

While at those churches, he is charged with stealing up to $1 million from parishioners, according to court records.

Rodis will be heading to court Aug. 27 for a hearing on motions by his attorney requesting the courts to acknowledge that Rodis' crimes should not be prosecuted criminally, only within the church.

"The commonwealth is prohibited from entangling itself in internal church matters," the motion read.

Before that, he was expected to appear in court in October on the charges, and if the judge dismisses his motion, he still could.

At the time of his arrest, he was living in Spotsylvania County with a woman and three children. They since have moved to New Mexico and he's in jail after having his bond revoked because he visited them without court permission.

Ellen Biltz: 540/374-5424
Email: ebiltz@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 8/22/2007