Fake Monks Soliciting in the North End Not Well Received by Residents

by Phil Orlandella

Action taken to remove the apparently fake monks from soliciting money from visitors to the North End and residents is currently underway and some say it’s working.

Spearheaded by North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) Tania Green, posters have been placed throughout the neighborhood wanting people of the harassment and continuous pursuit of the solicitors who are on Hanover Street, Christopher Columbus Park, the Paul Revere Mall (Prado) and Salem Street.

Residents claim they are relentless, do not take no for an answer. “They keep on following you, offering trinkets until they get some money,” one resident told the Review.

They were recently tossed out of Faneuil Hall by the owner is for continuously badgering people on their property.

In a letter to the Review, Green wrote: “There have been countless articles highlighting the deceptive techniques fake monks deploy to take money from the unsuspecting.”

This summer, after the Faneuil Hall incident, the monks have moved into the North End and in order to protect the authenticity and peace of the neighborhood, NEWNC’s goal is to peacefully expose the fate monks as scammers.

“Once tourists know the monks are fake and contributing to them is frowned upon the monks will be forced to find money elsewhere, hopefully with legitimate jobs,” Green wrote.

She added, “The North End/Waterfront neighborhood Council (NEWNC) is dedicated to the betterment of the neighborhood and its residents.”

            Green noted, “We “NEWNC” will continue to tackle an array of issues that disrupt the beauty, safety, and history of this neighborhood.”