# The Imposter in the Abbey: Michael Dongarra and the Psychology of Sanctuary

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-psychology-664800/the-imposter-in-the-abbey-michael-dongarra-and-the-psychology-of-sanctuary
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-psychology-664800/the-imposter-in-the-abbey-michael-dongarra-and-the-psychology-of-sanctuary.md
Podcast: [Forensic Psychology](https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-psychology-664800)
Published: 2026-08-16T19:06:02+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-imposter-in-the-abbey-michael-dongarra-and-the-psychology-of-sanctuary--74090858
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74090858/podcast_1786837840.mp3
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Duration seconds: 181

## Resource

1997, a fugitive con man who had stolen over a million dollars in religious artifacts while posing as an Anglican priest sought refuge inside a Benedictine monastery in Massachusetts. This episode examines how Michael Dongarra exploited the psychological architecture of trust that monastic life depends on, and what his case reveals about the blind spots built into institutions designed around faith rather than suspicion. We explore the intersection of psychopathy, religious performance, and the human need to believe in redemption, even when redemption is the con.

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## Transcript

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