Key Takeaways
- Father William Raiche was publicly identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sex Abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
- According to the report, Raiche sexually abused at least six girls, ages 5 to 13, between about 1967 and the early 1980s, largely at his parish rectories in Woonsocket.
- Because Raiche died in 1983 and every known complaint reached the Diocese only afterward, the Diocese referred just two of the six allegations to law enforcement, decades apart, and both were closed without prosecution.
Who Was Father William Raiche?
Father William Raiche was a priest in the Diocese of Providence who spent his entire 46-year career at parishes in Pawtucket and Woonsocket before retiring in 1978. He died in 1983.
Raiche is identified on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report and included on the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy. According to the report, all six known victims came forward only after his death, the earliest disclosure arriving 12 years after he died. (Appendix A, p. 294)
Father William Raiche Assignment History
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report, Raiche served at:
- 1932–1935: Our Lady of Consolation Church, Pawtucket
- 1935–1958: Holy Family Church, Woonsocket
- 1958–1978: Our Lady of Victories Church, Woonsocket
- 1978: Retired
The Allegations Against Father William Raiche
Every complainant in Raiche’s file came forward long after his death, and the Diocese’s response to each report was inconsistent, sometimes offering financial support, sometimes doing nothing at all.
- 1967: A nine-year-old girl said Raiche sexually assaulted her in his cabin aboard an ocean liner during a transatlantic voyage to Italy, kissing and fondling her and then sending her inappropriately affectionate letters afterward.
- 1968: A second girl, about five years old at the time, said Raiche took nude photographs of her and separately abused other young girls around the same period.
- 1968: A third woman said that when she was six years old, Raiche sat her on his lap in the rectory at Our Lady of Victories and fondled her while she tried to push his hand away, in front of three other children.
- Early 1980s: A girl under 12 said Raiche molested her at a family member’s home in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, touching her and forcing her to touch him. She reported the abuse to the diocese in November 1995, the first complaint the diocese ever received about Raiche, 12 years after his death. The Diocese offered her a list of approved therapists but never referred the allegation to law enforcement.
- 1978: A girl who was babysitting younger children at Holy Family Parish in Woonsocket said Raiche pulled her onto his lap in the church basement and kissed her while touching her groin.
- 1997: A man told the diocese that several of his female friends had been molested by Raiche “several years ago” but gave no names, and there is no record the diocese ever followed up.
Two of these women eventually reached financial settlements with the Diocese. One negotiated for years before receiving $50,000 in January 2005. In 2002, another wrote directly to Bishop Robert Mulvee, describing her 1967 abuse and enclosing Raiche’s inappropriate letters; Mulvee told her the Diocese had received no complaints against Raiche during his lifetime but did not mention the other women who had already come forward.
In January 2020, diocesan compliance director Kevin O’Brien referred the 1978 basement incident to Rhode Island State Police, telling them the diocese had received three prior complaints about Raiche, though its own records showed four. Police closed the case because Raiche was already dead. In July 2025, the sixth victim came forward for the first time; O’Brien referred her allegation the same month, but investigators were unable to reach her through her attorney. In 2024, State Police had also tried and failed to reach Raiche’s other known victims directly.
Father William Raiche’s Criminal Proceedings
Raiche was never criminally charged. Every allegation against him reached the Diocese after his 1983 death, and the two complaints referred to the Rhode Island State Police in 2020 and 2025 were each closed without prosecution for that reason.
Civil Litigation Against Father William Raiche
Public records reviewed for this profile show one confirmed financial settlement, $50,000 paid to a victim in January 2005 following a multi-year negotiation, but no lawsuit appears to have been filed. Rhode Island’s expanded statute of limitations may still allow additional survivors to pursue civil claims against the Diocese of Providence.
Support for Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse
If you or someone you love was sexually abused by Father William Raiche, Andreozzi + Foote is here to help.
Recent changes to Rhode Island law have created an opportunity for survivors to pursue civil claims that may have previously been barred by the statute of limitations.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse across the nation. Our team takes a trauma-informed approach to every case, ensuring survivors are heard, supported, and empowered throughout the legal process.
If you were abused by Father Raiche or another religious leader, we encourage you to contact us today to learn about your legal options.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
