Alabama Priest Accused of Paying Former Stripper Nearly $300,000 for Secret Relationship

Heather Jones, 33, said Fr. Robert 'Bob' Sullivan, 61, began a sexual relationship with her after meeting her at a strip club where she danced at when she was 17 in 2009

An Alabama priest is under Church investigation after a former stripper claimed he paid her nearly $300,000 over the course of a years-long sexual relationship, despite his vow of abstinence.

Heather Jones, 33, alleges she met Father Robert “Bob” Sullivan, 61, in 2009 when she was just 17 and working as a dancer at a strip club. She says Sullivan, then a regular patron, offered her financial support in exchange for what he described as “private companionship,” which Jones claims included sex. The relationship allegedly continued for more than a decade, ending earlier this year after she reported him to his parish, Our Lady of Sorrows in Homewood, near Birmingham.

She also submitted a formal written statement to the Diocese of Birmingham, detailing the alleged years-long relationship with the priest, who was ordained in 1993

Jones claims the priest gave her $273,000 in total, including $120,000 sent via 125 Venmo transactions between July 18, 2024, and March 26, 2025. She says she was pressured to sign a nondisclosure agreement but later broke it, arguing it heavily favored Sullivan and “offered no meaningful protection, healing, or justice.” She also requested an additional $100,000 to revise the agreement, but says her request was ignored.

In a formal written statement to the Diocese of Birmingham, Jones described herself at the time as “a minor with no experience navigating adult relationships” and expressed concern that Sullivan continued working closely with families and children. She said she wanted to prevent “others [from being] vulnerable to the same type of manipulation and exploitation.”

Their relationship ended this year after she reported his vow betrayal to his church, Our Lady of Sorrows in Homewood (pictured)

The Diocese confirmed Sullivan was granted a leave of absence effective August 4, with Bishop Steven Raica notifying parishioners that the allegations had been referred to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Diocese spokesperson Donald Carson said Sullivan is prohibited from all public ministry during the internal investigation.

The Diocese also reported the allegations to the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR), which determined the claims did not meet criteria for a state investigation. Alabama law permits sexual relationships with individuals aged 16 and older, and the state has no law specifically banning clergy from engaging in sexual relationships with adult congregants under their care. However, under Catholic canon law, anyone under 18 is considered a minor, and sexual contact with them is deemed abusive.

According to Jones, Sullivan - then allegedly a regular patron at the club - offered her financial support in exchange for what he described as 'private companionship,' a term Jones says included sex

The Church has been enforcing stricter rules on clergy sexual misconduct since the early 2000s following widespread abuse scandals. Raica emphasized Sullivan’s presumption of innocence until the Church concludes its investigation.

Kevin Bazzel, vicar general of the Birmingham diocese, was appointed as the temporary administrator of Our Lady of Sorrows Church during Sullivan’s absence.