A Peruvian bishop has resigned after being accused of having 17 secret mistresses, a scandal that came to light when his cleaning lady accidentally received photos and videos meant for his lovers.
Ciro Quispe López, 51, the Bishop of Juli in Peru, handed in his resignation following a Vatican investigation that reportedly uncovered explosive details about his affairs. According to Peruvian journalist Paola Ugaz, the tangled web of relationships spiraled out of control when a jealous nun, who was one of López’s lovers, discovered he was also seeing a lawyer. The nun then shared the affair details with another mistress, leading to a heated confrontation between the women.
“It was a real soap opera,” Ugaz told The Times, adding that the scandal also revealed serious abuse of power within the church. “Many of the women were too scared to come forward because they were frightened of him.”
The bishop’s downfall began when his cleaner—who received intimate photos and videos by mistake—filed a complaint with the Catholic Church, prompting a full-scale Vatican probe. Investigators reportedly found sordid voice notes, images, and videos sent to his 17 alleged mistresses.
López, however, denies all allegations, claiming he is the target of a defamation campaign by “dark hands.”
Adding to the controversy, López was also being investigated for embezzling church funds, allegedly diverting property and furniture for use in a chicken restaurant chain he had a financial stake in, named Patas Arriba—which translates to “legs in the air.”
The Vatican formally accepted López’s resignation last month—more than 20 years before the usual retirement age of 75—marking a dramatic end to one of Peru’s most scandalous clerical careers.
