![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
The mayor of Liverpool has asked police to investigate whether any “fraud” has taken place surrounding Ross Barkley’s transfer from Everton to Chelsea.
Joe Anderson has written to the heads of the Football Association (FA) and Premier League following the 24-year-old England midfielder’s £15m move.
The “circumstance” of the deal “warrants serious investigation”, said lifelong Everton fan Mr Anderson.
Merseyside Police said Mr Anderson’s letter “is currently being considered”.
In the letter, on his official headed notepaper, Mr Anderson expressed concern about the size of the transfer fee paid by Chelsea for Barkley.
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The Premier League champions had reportedly agreed to pay £35m in the summer, only for Barkley to pull out of the move to Stamford Bridge at the last minute.
Noting that Barkley did not play “a single minute for Everton” in the time between these two negotiations, he said the player has seen “a decrease in value of more than one million pounds a week”.
He claimed: “At best, this represents a very poor deal for Everton Football Club.
“At worst, it could be seen as a deliberate attempt to drive down a player’s value in the transfer market so as to benefit the player, his agent and the buying club,” Mr Anderson said.
In the letter, Mr Anderson tells FA chairman Greg Clarke and Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore that he feels “it is right that the public receive an assurance on this matter”.
