Pastor Michael Guglielmucci admits his cancer was a hoax; Videos being removed from YouTube

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Monday, August 25, 2008

Australia

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A former Christian Pastor Michael Guglielmucci has admitted that his cancer is a hoax. Wikinews has also learned that one of the churches he preached at has had videos showing his claims of cancer removed from YouTube, claiming copyright infringement. He has also admitted to being addicted to pornography for over 16 years.

For at least two years, Gugliemucci claimed to have leukaemia. Reports say that he received an unknown amount of money through donations for his treatments and even released an compact disc album single titled 'Healer'.

YouTube began removing the videos after the Hillsong Church in Sydney, one of the churches Gugliemucci preached at, began to claim they were in violation of copyright laws. Those videos reportedly had shown Gugliemucci speaking about his cancer and also included a video from his hit single album Healer. Some videos even showed him wearing an oxygen mask while he was performing his sermon. According to reports, several attempts to re-upload his videos to YouTube was quickly met with the site removing the videos under claims that they violate copyright laws.

Wikinews has contacted the church, its publishing company, and YouTube for a statement regarding the removal of the videos, but has yet to receive a response.

After the announcement of Gugliemucci's hoax, his father Danny released a statement saying that his son will undergo professional treatment for his "sins."

"Michael is struggling with a different kind of illness and is receiving professional help and will do so as long as is needed. On the counsel and advice of our executive and board, after our up and coming Edge conference, we will take time to be with Mike and get him all the professional and spiritual help he needs to come to full recovery," said Danny Gugliemucci in a statement to the press.

"In September in 2006, Mike had an accident and went to hospital. It was at this time, because of his torment of living a double life, Mike thought he could escape the pain by creating a diversion from his addiction to adult pornography, so he created the cancer scenario," added Danny.

Michael Guglielmucci was the former youth pastor at Planetshakers City Church, but was released from the church almost 19 months ago before moving back to Adelaide then to Hillsong Church in Sydney Australia.

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