Former Starkville priest says he is informant in federal case

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A Mississippi priest says he was an informant for the federal fraud investigation of another priest.

The Clarion Ledger reported The Rev. John Bohn told the weekend services at St. Richard Catholic Church in Jackson that he was an informant in the case involving a priest in Starkville.

Bohn previously served in Starkville.

A federal affidavit says there were four informants as they investigated the priest, whom The Associated Press is not naming because he has not been charged.   Federal court records do identify the priest being investigated as Father Lenin Vargas

The affidavit says the Starkville priest announced from the pulpit numerous times that he had cancer and was going to Canada for treatment. He received donations from parishioners.

The affidavit says the priest actually had been diagnosed with HIV. The diocese said it could not talk about the priest’s medical condition.