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On 23 February, 2018, Fr. Michele was arrested on charges of aggravated sexual violence, following an investigation of the TV program Le Iene, aired by Italia 1. Then suspicion of links to the Camorra (Italian Mafia-type crime syndicat) also emerged.

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Here are some journalistic sources:

 

Il Mattino, «Il prete esorcista mi palpeggiava durante i pellegrinaggi a Medjugorje» [«The exorcist priest felt me up during the pilgrimages to Medjugorje»], February 25, 2018.
Positano News, Don Michele Barone contro il vescovo: «Sapeva tutto». Al gip nega le accuse: «Nessun esorcismo e abusi sessuali» [Fr. Michele Barone against the bishop: «He knew everything». He denies the accusations to the prosecutor: «No exorcism and sexual abuse»], February 28, 2018.
Repubblica, Nuova ordinanza per don Michele Barone: "Riti esorcisti e violenza su numerose donne" [New ordinance for Fr. Michele Barone: "Exorcist rites and violence on numerous women"], March 13, 2018.
Le Iene, Don Barone, altre 4 minori vittime del sacerdote [Fr. Barone, four other minor victims of the priest], April 11, 2018.
CasertaNews, "I boss della camorra hanno utilizzato don Michele per 'ambasciate' dal carcere" ["The bosses of the Camorra used Fr. Michele for sending messages from prison"], May 21, 2018.
Il Mattino, Don Barone, soldi da irlandesi e inglesi per le grazie della Madonna [Fr. Barone, money from Irish and English devotees for mercy from Our Lady], May 26, 2018.
Il Mattino, Il sindaco contro il sacerdote: «Costrinse l'amante ad abortire» [The mayor against the priest: "He forced his lover to abort"], June 13, 2018.
CasertaCE, Processo a don Michele Barone. La “fidanzata” del prelato come un fiume in piena: “Ho riciclato i suoi soldi falsi” [Process to Fr. Michele Barone. The priest's "girlfriend": "I recycled his false money"], January 8, 2019.
InterNapoli.it, Nuove accuse a Don Barone, il prete pedofilo: «Era tutto un teatrino, mi toccava spesso il seno» [New accusations against Fr. Barone, the pedophile priest: "It was all a sham, he often touched my breasts"], January 23, 2019.
CronacaCaserta.it, Si aggrava la posizione di Don Michele Barone. “Frequentava assiduamente Salvatore Belforte” [The position of Father Michele Barone worsens. "He regularly met Salvatore Belforte"], February 12, 2019.

 

On February 7, 2020, Michele Barone (who meanwhile had been reduced to the lay state) was sentenced by the Court of Santa Maria Capua Vetere: Michele Barone, l’ex prete condannato a 12 anni per maltrattamenti, violenza e lesioni. Anche su una bambina di 13 anni [The ex-priest Michele Barone sentenced to 12 years for mistreatment, violence and injury. Even on a 13 year old girl] (Source: Il Fatto Quotidiano).

 

 

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Father Livio Fanzaga, director of Radio Maria and a historical supporter of Medjugorje, in one of his books reported an episode that, according to the "seer" Marija, allegedly occurred in the early weeks:

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[...] I remember Marija told me that once, in the early days, the Virgin had told them not to go to the room where they had arranged to meet, because the police had put "bugs" in the room to record what they said so they would be able to accuse them.
[Livio Fanzaga, L'eroismo delle origini. I primi tre anni di Medjugorje, Piemme, Milan 2018, p. 79]

 

But it seems that now the Gospa does not warn them of anything.

Marco Corvaglia

Published on 21 February 2019. Updated on 10 February 2020

 

You might also be interested in: Vicka, a Practical Test and an Odd Justification

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