The Rev. Mark Sorvillo, 54—who pled guilty on July 20 to stealing almost $200,000 from St. Margaret Mary Church, 2324 W. Chase—bestowed money, cars and other gifts upon James Sosnicki, a married man from Kentucky who stripped at Chicago gay nightspots, according to a Chicago Sun-Times item.
Sosnicki, 30, told the newspaper that the relationship was not sexual, but was more avuncular. ‘He was like a big uncle to me,’ he said. ‘If it wasn’t for him, I’d probably be living in a cardboard box right now.’
Sorvillo resigned from the church early last year after members of his congregation caught him taking funds from collection bags. While investigating Sorvillo, authorities discovered that, among other things, the spiritual leader had bought Sosnicki an Acura.
Sosnicki said that he initially met Sorvillo at the now-former Andersonville club Madrigal’s.
Among the church’s parishioners are members of Cook County State’s Attorney Dick Devine’s family.
Attempts by Windy City Times to reach Sosnicki were unsuccessful; his phone number has been temporarily disconnected.