Profile Facts
- Name
- Eugene Anthony Forbes
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
- Ordained
- 1941
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 12/6/2003
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Monsignor Eugene Anthony Forbes was named publicly as accused in the Michigan Attorney General’s June 2026 report on the Diocese of Saginaw. Two people reported abuse by Forbes decades apart: a man who said Forbes sexually abused him as a boy in 1976, 1977, and 1978, and a woman who said Forbes molested her many times when she was a junior high school student. Our clergy sexual abuse lawyers created this page to lay out the sourced record on Forbes, who was ordained in 1941 and died in 2003.
Forbes died on December 6, 2003, so he cannot face criminal charges. As the sections below explain, the diocese’s own review boards reached mixed conclusions, and Michigan civil law may still give survivors a forum.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Saginaw
The Diocese of Saginaw is one of Michigan’s seven dioceses, together with the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Marquette. The Attorney General’s clergy-abuse investigation, begun in 2018, culminated in a June 2026 report devoted to Saginaw, the report that publicly named Forbes. As a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer, White Law PLLC tracks each diocesan report as it is released.
The Forbes record shows how review-board findings can differ from survivors’ accounts. If you were abused in the Saginaw diocese, an attorney can look beyond internal church conclusions and evaluate your legal options independently.
The Allegations Against Father Eugene Anthony Forbes
Where He Served
According to published records, Forbes, a monsignor, was ordained in 1941 and served in the Diocese of Saginaw. He died on December 6, 2003.
What Survivors Reported
Per the Michigan Attorney General’s June 25, 2026 report on the Diocese of Saginaw, a man reported to the diocese in November 2002 that Forbes sexually abused him as a boy in 1976, 1977, and 1978; the Diocesan Review Board deemed those allegations not credible. In April 2018, a 65-year-old woman reported that Forbes had molested her many times when she was a junior high school student. In May 2024, the diocese informed the Attorney General that the woman had stated in a legal claim that Forbes molested her from 1965 to 1968 at St. Mary’s Cathedral School; the Review Board determined there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations. Forbes was nevertheless named publicly as accused in the Attorney General’s report. He died in 2003, so he is no longer alive for anyone to pursue criminal charges against him, but civil claims against his estate or the diocese may still be available.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Criminal cases are prosecuted by the state and can lead to imprisonment. Civil cases are filed by survivors seeking financial compensation for their injuries. A civil claim can move forward regardless of what a church review board concluded.
Forbes died in 2003, so he is no longer alive for anyone to pursue criminal charges against him. Survivors may still file civil claims against his estate or the Diocese of Saginaw.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Michigan Legislature §600.5805 generally gives survivors ten years, or until age 28, whichever is later, to file a civil sexual abuse lawsuit. First-degree criminal sexual conduct carries no statute of limitations in Michigan.
Internal church findings do not decide your legal rights, and neither does the passage of time alone. A lawyer can determine whether Michigan law still provides you a remedy.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Survivors may bring claims against the abuser’s estate and the diocese, particularly where the institution knew or should have known of complaints, failed to supervise, or covered up misconduct. Recoverable damages include medical and therapy expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
Call White Law PLLC at (517) 316-1195 for a free, confidential consultation. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.