What began as a high-profile federal fraud case against a Marblehead man who called himself an Orthodox Christian monk has evolved into a sweeping religious liberty battle that now pits him and his church against both the Town of Marblehead and the U.S. government.
In October 2022, federal agents arrested Brian Andrew Bushell, 47, and his attorney and housemate, Tracey M.A. Stockton, 64, accusing the pair of orchestrating a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud federal COVID-19 relief programs.
Prosecutors alleged that Bushell and Stockton submitted falsified loan applications under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, overstating operational expenses of several religious and business entities Bushell controlled. Those organizations included St. Paul’s Foundation, the Shrine of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Patron of Sailors, Brewers & Repentant Thieves, Marblehead Brewing Co., and Marblehead Salt Co.
The Item reported that, according to then–U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins, the pair “engaged in brazen, criminal behavior that took advantage of our government’s efforts to rescue organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, during the global pandemic.”
Authorities said Bushell and Stockton secured more than $3.5 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans and additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds, allegedly inflating expenses and employee numbers to obtain the money. They then used the funds for what the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) called a “lavish lifestyle,” including luxury goods, property renovations, and high-end purchases such as $40,000 in Swiss watches, a $7,000 Goyard handbag, and nearly $40,000 in antique furniture.
FBI Special Agent Joseph R. Bonavolonta told The Item at the time, “Their alleged greed is an affront to every hard-working taxpayer… spending tens of thousands of dollars on exclusive memberships, expensive wine, and even a $40,000 wristwatch.”
The arrests followed a dramatic, early-morning raid at Bushell’s Marblehead properties, including 124 Pleasant St., home to the Marblehead Brewing Co. and the planned monastic complex. Neighbors recalled FBI agents removing boxes from the building at dawn.
At their arraignment in federal court in Boston, both Bushell and Stockton were released on $10,000 bonds, each under strict conditions: They were required to surrender their passports, refrain from obtaining loans or registering new businesses without court approval, and report any law enforcement contact within 24 hours.
But over time, cracks began to appear in the federal case. In November 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts dismissed the charges against Bushell and Stockton “in the interests of justice,” without further explanation.
That dismissal became a turning point in what Bushell, who presents himself as Father Andrew, describes as a long campaign of religious persecution.
Following the dismissal, the Shrine of St. Nicholas, along with Bushell and Stockton, filed a series of lawsuits against the Town of Marblehead, its officials, and later, federal agents.
In August 2023, The Item reported that the Shrine sued the Town in Essex Superior Court, alleging wrongful assessment and collection of real estate taxes and violations of constitutional rights. The complaint claimed the property should have remained tax-exempt under Massachusetts’ “statutory exemptions” for religious institutions.
The suit accused the town’s Tax Collector Rachel Blaisdell and Town Assessor Karen Bertolino of improperly issuing tax bills and obstructing construction of the Shrine. According to the filing, the Shrine’s religious status “is unaffected by the complaint alleging misuse of relief funds,” and the Town’s actions amounted to “administrative delays and work stoppages engineered by Marblehead.”
Now, two years later, in October 2025, Bushell, now formally identified as Father Andrew, and his religious organizations filed a verified complaint in federal court accusing Marblehead and multiple federal officials of conspiring to suppress Orthodox Christian worship in town.
The new complaint names the Town of Marblehead, the Marblehead Municipal Light Department, the Department of Justice, and several federal agents, including the two FBI agents, and a Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) Special Agent, as defendants.
The suit alleges that Town officials, motivated by “targeted animus toward Orthodox Christianity,” falsely portrayed Bushell and his organizations as fraudulent and secular. The complaint further claims that these misrepresentations to the federal government triggered the 2022 investigation and “military-style” pre-dawn raid.
“Armed federal agents in tactical gear conducted a military-style raid… while Father Andrew was engaged in morning prayers before the altar,” the filing stated. “The timing and manner of the arrest were designed to maximize psychological pressure and public humiliation.”
According to the complaint, Marblehead repeatedly denied or delayed permits, refused electrical service approvals, and selectively enforced regulations to prevent the Shrine and brewery from opening. It alleges that the Town “weaponized its regulatory authority as a pretext for religious animus.”
The plaintiffs claim violations of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), and the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, as well as constitutional violations under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983, 1985, and 1986.
They are seeking compensatory, consequential, and punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and injunctive relief.
To some in Marblehead, Bushell remains a polarizing figure, admired by supporters who see him as a persecuted monk, and criticized by others who remember the federal fraud allegations and years of conflict over the Pleasant Street property.
Yet with the criminal case dismissed and a sweeping new civil rights lawsuit underway, Father Andrew’s legal battle has shifted dramatically, from defending against allegations of fraud to accusing both local and federal officials of violating his freedom of religion.
As the complaint concludes: “Defendants acted in clear disregard of the statutory protections preserving the religious rights that Congress so explicitly recognized.”
Whether the court agrees remains to be seen.
