The fallout continues for Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. After the provocative music video for pop star Sabrina Carpenter's song "Feather" was filmed inside his church. Gigantiello has been relieved of his duties by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn.
Bishop Robert Brennan stated, "I am saddened to share that investigations conducted by Alvarez & Marsal and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP have uncovered evidence of serious violations of Diocesan policies and protocols at Our Lady of Mount Carmel - Annunciation Parish," as reported by ABC7NY. The investigation revealed unauthorized financial dealings and mismanagement, including a transfer of $1.9 million in parish funds to bank accounts affiliated with Frank Carone, a former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, which incidentally, is now under a corruption probe.
Not only has Gigantiello's role been rescinded, but a deacon appointed as a temporary administrator during the investigation has also been dismissed for using racist and other offensive language in private conversations, according to a statement to CBS News. These conversations were secretly recorded at Gigantiello's direction. Neither the monsignor nor the deacon responded to requests for comment from the media.
Carone's law firm has since repaid $1 million of the funds, plus about 9% interest, Bishop Brennan has reported. More so, still, Gigantiello has made requests for early repayment of the remaining amount, albeit without the substantial interest the loan notes call for. In a broader context, the “Feather” video depicted Carpenter as she encountered men who met grisly deaths, with parts of the clip showing her in a short black dress and black veil dancing in front of the church's ornate altar, flanked by colorful faux coffins. The Diocese expressed its shock at the unauthorized filming, with Brennan emphasizing a commitment to fully cooperate with law enforcement investigations.
The controversy surrounding the music video and its connection to the church has not gone unnoticed by Carpenter herself. During a concert at Madison Square Garden, she quipped about the events, linking them to the indictment of Mayor Adams. "Damn, what now?" she said, "Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted?" as CBS News New York quoted. Amidst these developments, federal investigators have subpoenaed the church seeking information regarding Carone and Gigantiello's financial transactions, although, no formal accusations have been made.
