Ciro Quispe López, the 51-year-old bishop of the Juli Diocese in Peru, was exposed for secretly having affairs with as many as 17 women, and is further accused of embezzling church resources to run his own fried chicken restaurant business. The scandal broke after he mistakenly sent explicit photos and videos—which were intended for his mistress—to a cleaning lady, leading the Vatican to launch an investigation and sparking a series of scandals. López resigned early last month, about 20 years before the typical retirement age of 75 for bishops, and his resignation was accepted.
According to British media, López was involved with multiple women, including nuns and lawyers. One mistress, jealous that López had found a new lover, leaked his romantic escapades to a third party, which ultimately led to a dispute between two women that nearly turned physical. The incident grew increasingly public. Peruvian media described the whole affair as something out of a real-life soap opera, with serious abuse of power alleged behind the scenes. It is reported that among the 17 women involved, most were too afraid to come forward and make accusations.
The scandal’s catalyst was a cleaning lady receiving the explicit material by mistake; she then filed a formal complaint with the church, prompting a full investigation by the Holy See. The Vatican later gathered substantial evidence, including voice messages, photos, and videos López sent to his mistresses. However, López denied all accusations, claiming instead that he was the victim of a 'black hand' smear campaign.
In addition to the mistress scandal, López is also accused of misappropriating church resources. He allegedly transferred church furniture for use in 'Patas Arriba,' a fried chicken restaurant in which he has a financial stake.
This disgraced bishop has overseen the Juli Diocese since 2018 and was an important figure in the Peruvian church. According to The New York Times, López’s resignation comes at a time of growing momentum for reform in the Vatican. Last month, Pope Leo XIV officially accepted his resignation.