Latest news with #VincentLampert
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Yahoo
Sacred Scam: Priest says someone is impersonating him, offering exorcisms
An Indiana priest is warning people that someone is impersonating him on social media and offering exorcisms. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Father Vincent Lampert leads worshippers at St. Michael Catholic Church in Brookville, Indiana, FOX 19 reported. He has served as an ordained exorcist for decades, according to Local 12. TRENDING STORIES: Man accused breaking into ex-girlfriend's home before killing her formally charged Cell phone repairman caught downloading nude photos from customers' phones in Ohio Uber driver saves woman from Ohio house fire Lampert told Local 12 he stopped conducting exorcisms in November, but scammers are still impersonating him and he hasn't been able to stop them. He said scammers used a recent interview he did and dubbed over his voice with AI so they were able to add their own words using his image. Scammers have also used church bulletins to gather information, Local 12 reported. His secretary found a Facebook page where someone pretending to be him offered exorcisms and holy items for hundreds of dollars, FOX 19 reported. The church does not charge for exorcisms, he said. Lampert has contacted local law enforcement but there is currently no active case. For those in need, Lampert advises going to a religious leader first. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Indiana priest who performs exorcism says a scammer is impersonating him on social media
A Brookville, Indiana, priest is warning that someone is impersonating him on social media and offering exorcisms. Father Vincent Lampert leads worshippers at St. Michael Catholic Church in Brookville in southeastern Indiana. He said he's performed exorcisms for almost 20 years, but now, someone has been pretending to be him for more than a year and offering exorcisms, rosaries, and holy water for money. 'Unfortunately, a lot of people who believe they are dealing with the demonic are very vulnerable,' he said. 'They took a recent interview that I did and dubbed over my voice with AI so they were able to add their own words with my actual image.' The priest has been in the public eye because of his decades of experience as an exorcist. His secretary found a Facebook page where someone pretending to be him offered exorcisms and holy items for hundreds of dollars. However, he's not even on social media and said he communicates with parishioners via email. 'I had a gentleman in Germany tell me that the person got him to pay them two thousand dollars thinking I was flying to Germany to do an exorcism for him. I've had people show up here for appointments, people I did not know. But this person actually got people to give him up to $300 for an appointment.' The church does not charge for exorcisms, he noted. 'It's considered to be a ministry of charity so the church would help anyone. That should send up a red flag to anybody.' Father Vincent said the Facebook page that his secretary found purporting to be him blocked her and then a post appeared on it about fake conferences to get money from people. He said he has the following message for whoever is pretending to be him: 'You can fool people in this life but you ultimately have to give an account before God one day. Because if you're genuinely wanting to help somebody, you're not going to put a price tag on that.' Father Vincent says he's spoken with law enforcement, but there is no active case right now. He said the person he believes is pretending to be him could be anywhere. Enquirer media Fox19 provided this report This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Scammer offers exorcisms using AI, social media to impersonate priest
