Damn this monk has probably incurred some bad karma. He’s probably going to be reincarnated as something crappy like a cockroach, a rat, or even a dung beetle. But really, is there anything more despicable than an individual using religion and the good nature of others to enable his or her own vices? It’s one thing to beg for money, but it’s another thing to abuse your position as a high-ranking religious official for monetary gain.
According to the article,
“A Buddhist monk living in Lafayette was sentenced Monday (July 25) to 30 months in prison for taking more than $263,463 from his own temple to gamble at a casino. U.S. District Judge Donald Walter handed down the penalty on Khang Nguyen Le, 36, a Vietnamese citizen who had pleaded guilty to wire fraud.”
I really need to ask, did Khang Nguyen Le already have a gambling addiction before he became a monk, or did he develop it after? While it doesn’t really make a difference, the fact that Mr. Le has to pay full restitution supports the concept of Karma being real.
[Via NOLA]