GRAVESEND — The commissioner of an intramural basketball program run out of Our Lady of Grace Parish was arrested for admittedly paying teenage boys to perform in pornographic videos and then selling them, federal prosecutors said in a Sept. 25 criminal complaint. He was subsequently terminated by the Diocese of Brooklyn.
The diocese announced in a Sept. 26 statement that “considering the arrest and charges brought against Michael Jafferakos, he has been suspended immediately from any involvement with the Our Lady of Grace Gravesend Athletic Association, and all program and facility access has been revoked.”
The complaint stated that there is “probable cause to believe” that Jafferakos, 26, the alleged perpetrator, “engaged in the production of child sexual abuse material on the internet with multiple minor victims, including at least one minor boy who plays basketball on a team that Jafferakos has coached in Brooklyn, New York,” and claims that the conduct took place between July 2024 and September 2025.
While the basketball program and school are not listed in the complaint, Jafferakos is listed online as commissioner of the Our Lady of Grace Gravesend Athletic Association intramural basketball program, which is run by Our Lady of Grace Parish. The court filing states that Jafferakos has been involved with the program since 2017.
The diocese confirmed that as a volunteer, Jafferakos attended a Virtus session — a training awareness program that teaches how to recognize any signs of sexual abuse — was background checked, and signed a code of conduct.
Jafferakos was arraigned in Brooklyn Federal Court and is being held without bail following a year-long investigation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
That investigation culminated on Sept. 25, with the execution of a search warrant in which agents seized “at least nine” electronic devices, including Jafferakos’ phone. A preliminary search of some of those devices, according to the court filing, “revealed the presence of hundreds of images and videos containing child sexual abuse material … many of which Jafferakos shared to a Telegram group with several other Telegram users.”
In an interview conducted by DHS, the complaint states: “After waiving his Miranda rights, Jafferakos admitted, in sum and substance, to instructing and paying multiple minor victims to produce child sexual abuse material over the course of the last few years.”
The complaint also details Jafferakos’ interactions with two minors. In both instances, according to the filing, Jafferakos said that he instructed and paid the minors on behalf of Telegram user “a Tony,” whose name is “Anthony.” “Anthony,” in return, allegedly paid Jafferakos hundreds of dollars over the last year “to produce child sexual abuse material.”
Further details about “Anthony” have not been made public.
The interactions between Jafferakos and one of the victims, a 14-year-old boy identified as Minor Victim 1, took place this week. The filing states that Jafferakos said “Anthony” saw the victim on the basketball program’s Instagram account and asked Jafferakos to approach him to “produce child sexual abuse material.” Jafferakos stated that “Anthony” agreed to pay Minor Victim 1 directly for such material by purchasing an electronic bicycle for him.
The other instance detailed in the complaint dates back to about a year ago, when police in Oconomowoc County, Wisconsin, responded to a 911 call made by the mother of a 14-year-old boy — identified as Minor Victim 2 — who had observed an explicit video on his cell phone that was sent to Jafferakos.
He told police that he met Jafferakos on Snapchat and that Jafferakos told him he lived in New York City and offered to fly him out there, according to the complaint. When police reviewed the victim’s phone, they found three videos sent to Jafferakos in August 2024.
The complaint states that Jafferakos also admitted to paying Minor Victim 2 for the material. And similar to Minor Victim 1, Jafferakos told law enforcement that he paid Minor Victim 2 for the material on behalf of “Anthony.”
Reached by The Tablet, Jafferakos’ lawyer, Samuel Jacobson, said he had “no comment.”
The diocese, in its statement, ensured its commitment to providing safe environments.
“The Diocese of Brooklyn is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our parish community, especially our youth,” the statement reads. “We encourage anyone with information, or who may have been involved, to contact the Diocesan Reporting Line at (888) 634-4499, so that we can offer our support and resources during this difficult time.”
For information on how the diocese is dealing with sex abuse, visit the Office of Safe Environment and “Protecting our Children” on the diocese’s website.