By Roy Denish
Tufts University faces a major chaplaincy scandal after its Sri Lankan-born Buddhist chaplain, Venerable Vineetha Mahayaye, was arrested in a Boston police sting targeting alleged sex-for-fee solicitation. The case has triggered his resignation, university action, immigration questions and wider scrutiny over institutional trust and accountability.
The Tufts University community was shaken following the arrest of its Sri Lankan-born Buddhist chaplain, Venerable Vineetha Mahayaye, in a law enforcement sting operation targeting commercial sex solicitation in downtown Boston. The arrest, which took place at the Moxy Boston Downtown hotel on Tremont Street, was part of a coordinated crack down by the Boston Police Department human trafficking unit known as Operation Red Card. Law enforcement officials initiated the investigation by placing undercover advertisements for sexual favors on websites frequently monitored for commercial sex trafficking, an effort designed to curb illicit activity ahead of high-profile international sporting events coming to the region.
According to police logs, Mahayaye was one of seven individuals who allegedly responded to the undercover online postings. Investigators revealed that the individuals taken into custody had negotiated for various sexual acts, offering payments ranging between 125 and 400 dollars. Law enforcement sources indicated that Mahayaye had been on the departmental radar for some time regarding the hiring of sex workers before the weekend operation concluded with his arrest. Several of the suspects arrested during the operation were found in possession of the exact cash amounts negotiated in their messages with undercover officers.
The institutional response from Tufts University was immediate. Within hours of the arrest being processed, university administrators removed Mahayaye from the official campus directory and scrubbed his biographical information from the university website. Following this action, the thirty-two-year-old Sri Lankan-born monk, who had served in his chaplaincy role since December 2024, submitted his formal resignation effective immediately. University Chaplain Reverend Elyse Nelson Winger later informed the campus community via the chaplaincy newsletter that a search for a new permanent Buddhist chaplain would commence over the summer, while regular mindfulness and programming events would proceed under interim coverage.
Mahayaye has been formally charged with sex for a fee, which constitutes a misdemeanor offense under Massachusetts law. While he has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a formal court appearance on September 2, 2026, the incident has raised significant questions regarding his legal residence and visa status in the United States. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School, Mahayaye had built a prominent academic and spiritual profile in the local area, though his current immigration standing remains unclear following his separation from university employment.
Legal experts note that United States immigration authorities typically do not initiate deportation proceedings for individuals convicted of minor misdemeanor offenses. However, immigration policies remain subject to shifting federal priorities, and strict enforcement mandates under a highly conservative or Trump administration framework could alter how federal agencies handle non-citizens facing charges related to commercial sex solicitation. With federal immigration guidelines often fluctuating based on political leadership, the intersection of local misdemeanor adjudication and federal visa maintenance remains a critical variable as the legal process moves forward into the fall.
