[Matthew]

That's my bet.

Well, one might wonder how Pablo got the nickname El Brujo ("The male witch" or "The warlock") 15+ years ago...
His other nickname? El Diablo -- which needs no translation.

I got this from a former SSPX priest familiar with the situation in Phoeniz, AZ back when Fr. Joseph Pfeiffer was there. A priest with a lot of connections and with a long career in the SSPX.

What else can explain Fr. Pfeiffer's behavior?

One person suggested blackmail -- but frankly, with all the evils coming out of Boston, KY, if Fr. Pfeiffer committed all these evils so that Pablo wouldn't reveal secret X about him, then secret X must be epic indeed! If all the nonsense coming out of Boston is the "lesser of two evils" for Fr. P, then woe unto him!  As in, he would have to have a "past" as dark and evil as any of those in the Deep State (read: the Bushes, Clintons, dungeons, children, trafficking, sacrifices, Epstein Island, making use of Chandler/Child-Handler's services, and so forth!) God forbid that such things EVER be true about an ordained priest!

[Francisco]

This man is small potatoes compared to that con man PAR EXCELLENCE Bernard Fellay

[Matthew]

This man is small potatoes compared to that con man PAR EXCELLENCE Bernard Fellay

I agree.
Ambrose Moran isn't just a con artist. He's an average, amateur, run of the mill, not particularly talented con artist. He isn't particularly talented at deception or covering his tracks. It was too easy to find out the real deal with him. A couple dozen Trads with Google access made short order of his scam.

How much intelligence or brains does it take to know and understand the differences between the different groups? He has mixed up the groups and their positions on several occasions that I can recall. He doesn't even understand the position of the Trad movement, and it's not exactly rocket science. He's kind of dumb actually.

I think when he first came on the scene, he was pushing that he had modern Conciliar or modern Papal approval about something or other. I remember thinking, "Does he know who he's talking to? That's not a selling point for Trad Catholics!"

A good con artist would have taken the 15 minutes to learn the Cliffs Notes version, at least, about the person/group you're trying to scam.

And since when do bishops (or archbishops) formally excommunicate lay Catholics without a trial? That's ludicrous. That doesn't happen in the Catholic Church, period. Anyone formally excommunicated like that always gets investigated, and gets the benefit of a trial first. Martin Luther, for example. And I'm pretty sure an average Bishop can't do all this on his own initiative. 

[Ladislaus]

Well, just being blackmailed might cause someone to DO things that are strange, but Father Pfeiffer speaks and acts as if he's mentally unhinged.  I don't think blackmail explains it.  Witchcraft might.

[Seraphina]

Well, just being blackmailed might cause someone to DO things that are strange, but Father Pfeiffer speaks and acts as if he's mentally unhinged.  I don't think blackmail explains it.  Witchcraft might.

Think: Drug connection via Arizona, supposed home of the warlock, state when the two first met long ago.  A combination of drugs, (poisoning), blackmail, witchcraft would result in almost anyone coming unhinged.  There has been a strange death and several bizarre, unexplainable sicknesses, and normally sensible people becoming entirely devoid of prudence.  The latter two have returned to normal after escaping the place.  The root cause?  Something that happened at OLOS early in Fr.'s priesthood.  Exactly what?  I'm not sure, but have my suspicions about an incident that occurred there.  I cannot say any more because I don't have all the facts.  If you still feel so led, pray for Fr. to have his mind restored and for Pablo to cash in his just pay.