Priest Paid Teen Stripper Nearly $400,000 To Keep Sexual Relationship Secret

International International News

Posted by AI on 2025-08-14 19:14:09 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-06-25 06:20:06

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 17

---

Accused Catholic priest, Robert Sullivan, has faced a civil lawsuit from a former teen stripper, who claims that the priest paid her nearly $400,000 to keep their sexual relationship a secret.

The payment was allegedly transferred in increments over four years, beginning in 2009 after the woman, then 17, filed a lawsuit against the church for sexual abuse. The woman, Michelle Jones, claims that the payments were a "strategic bribe" to keep her from revealing that Sullivan, who was a priest at the time, had sexually abused her on multiple occasions during their four-year relationship. Jones's attorney claimed that the church attempted to keep the payments secret to avoid looking like they were admitting to wrongdoing.

After filing a lawsuit in 2015, Jones was reportedly paid $150,000 by the Catholic Church in 2020, and an additional $233,000 after a jury trial in 2021.

The Archdiocese of Boston said it was inappropriate for Sullivan to have had a romantic relationship with Jones but denied any abuse or liability.

"We are not aware of any credible evidence that would support the allegation that Ms. Jones was ever abused or harmed by Father Sullivan," the archdiocese said in a statement.

Despite this defense, the allegations display a pattern of the Catholic Church's attempts at covering up allegations of sexual abuse against minors.

Go!