Father Jeffrey Nowak
Ordained: 2012
Removed from Ministry: 2019 (remains on permanent leave)
Update (July 2026): Father Buffalo priest Jeffrey Nowak was arrested on federal charges alleging receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material following an FBI investigation that was reopened after information was received from international law enforcement. The federal criminal charges are separate from the earlier misconduct allegations discussed below.
Assigned as follows:
- Our Lady Help of Christians (Cheektowaga, NY)
- St. John Vianney Church (Orchard Park, NY)
- St. Vincent de Paul (Niagara Falls, NY)
- Mary Queen of Angels School (Cheektowaga, NY)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father Jeffrey Nowak:
According to media reports, in August 2019, a former student at Christ the King Seminary, accused Father Jeffrey Nowak of violating the Catholic church's seal of confession, sexually harassing him and trying to blackmail a fellow priest. After a news report was published regarding this case, Father Nowak was suspended as Pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians in Cheektowaga. He denied all of the allegations.
The former seminarian accused Father Nowak of violating the seal of confession after hearing his confession several years earlier. The man said he was interested in pursuing the priesthood and alleges that Father Nowak used that information to try and develop a romantic relationship with him. He referred to his potential as "clerical eye candy." According to canon law, a priest can never discuss or act upon any information outside the confession that was received during confession. Violating it can lead to ex-communication or dismissal from the Catholic Church.
The former seminarian said he first notified Bishop Malone of the allegation against Father Nowak in November 2018. When no action was taken, even after a follow-up complaint, he secretly recorded audio of the bishop's inner circle of advisers discussing the allegations against the priest in meetings last March.
"We have victims and we have a perpetrator. And the perpetrator here is Jeff Nowak. He's done things that are clearly wrong, and I think he's a sick puppy," said Bishop Malone.
The man said he made the recordings to show how Bishop Malone was delaying the removal of Father Nowak from ministry, and has called for his resignation. The bishop defended his handling of what he described as "a very complex, convoluted matter." He said he placed Father Nowak on leave when the priest twice refused to seek a behavioral assessment at St. Luke Institute in Maryland.
"The Diocese of Buffalo suppresses the truth in relation to sexual abuse," the man said at a news conference across from the Diocese of Buffalo office. "There is no transparency in the Buffalo Diocese and there is no justice for victims of abuse, whether the victims are children or adults."
Father Nowak has since agreed to go to for treatment at Southdown Institute in Toronto. The former seminarian hopes the Vatican will intervene and the the FBI will investigate.
July 2026 Criminal Charges Bring New Allegations Against Fr. Jeffrey Nowak
Nearly seven years after Jeffrey Nowak was removed from ministry amid allegations of misconduct, federal prosecutors have now charged Jeffrey Nowak with receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material following an FBI investigation that expanded after information received from law enforcement in Scotland.
According to federal prosecutors, the investigation stretches back to at least 2019. Court documents allege that an email account associated with Nowak accessed a New Zealand-based cloud storage platform that contained child sexual abuse material. The FBI executed a search warrant in 2021, but investigators reportedly did not locate child sexual abuse material at that time, and the investigation was later closed.
The case was revived after U.S. authorities received information from law enforcement in Scotland concerning a Telegram group whose members allegedly participated in Zoom calls where child sexual abuse material was viewed and shared. Investigators allege that one participant used the online screen name "PigBoy666," which they ultimately traced to Nowak. The FBI reopened the investigation in March 2026.
On July 8, 2026, federal agents executed a search warrant at Nowak's home in Lackawanna, New York. Prosecutors say investigators seized numerous electronic devices, including a laptop, cell phone, iPad, USB storage device and other digital media. According to the criminal complaint, an initial forensic review allegedly uncovered multiple folders containing videos depicting child sexual abuse. Investigators also reported recovering suspected narcotics during the search.
Court records further allege that Nowak admitted to FBI agents that he had used multiple online platforms to view child sexual abuse material and, at times, accessed such material multiple times per day. News reports also state that one electronic device was allegedly concealed inside a Bible case recovered during the search.
The Diocese of Buffalo stated that Nowak has not functioned as a priest since being placed on permanent leave in 2019 and that it intends to cooperate with law enforcement. The Diocese also said it had only recently learned of the federal allegations.
The federal criminal case is separate from any civil claims that survivors may have against the Diocese of Buffalo. Criminal prosecutions focus on whether the government can prove violations of criminal law beyond a reasonable doubt. Civil lawsuits, by contrast, seek to hold institutions accountable when they allegedly failed to protect children or failed to respond appropriately to reports of abuse or misconduct. Individuals with information concerning Jeffrey Nowak or other clergy abuse within the Diocese of Buffalo should consult an attorney to understand their legal rights. As with any criminal prosecution, the allegations contained in the complaint remain allegations only. Father Nowak is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo and throughout New York.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your legal options today.