A California bishop is accused of pocketing a $200,000 cash donation intended for church renovations before relocating to Michigan, according to a civil lawsuit.
Yousif Abdulmasih, also known as Bishop Marnaba Yousif Habash, allegedly received the money from Hani Toma, a member of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Syriac Catholic Church in El Cajon, California. Toma claims the bishop approached him stating the church lacked funds for necessary remodeling.
Toma agreed to donate $200,000 on the condition that his contribution remain anonymous. The lawsuit states that on June 8, Habash personally collected the full amount in cash from Toma's workplace.
Later that month, Toma learned from another priest at the church that the institution had sufficient funds for the renovation project and had not received any anonymous donation. The lawsuit alleges that Habash instead kept the money for personal use.
Toma filed a civil lawsuit against Habash in San Diego County Superior Court on September 2, seeking the return of the $200,000 and additional damages. Habash has reportedly since moved from California to Michigan.
Our Mother of Perpetual Help is a Syriac Catholic church with significant ties to San Diego County's Iraqi Christian community.