Ven. Vineetha Mahayaye, the Buddhist chaplain at Tufts University in Massachusetts, resigned last week after being arrested in Boston during an undercover police operation targeting alleged solicitation of paid sex.
Ven. Mahayaye, 32, was one of seven men arrested on 13 June by the Boston Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit. Police identified him in their public statement as “Rev. Mahayaye-Vineetha Thero.” The arrests were part of what the authorities described as an ongoing effort to address human trafficking in the city.
“As part of the Boston Police Department’s ongoing efforts to address human trafficking concerns, seven individuals were taken into custody during a recent operation which took place on Saturday, 13 June 2026 in Boston.” (Boston Police Department)
The police said that all seven suspects were expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on charges of sex for a fee. According to The Tufts Daily newspaper, Ven. Mahayaye pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to appear in court on 2 September on a misdemeanor charge.
The Tufts Daily reported that Ven. Mahayaye allegedly responded to an advertisement posted by undercover Boston police officers on a website described by the authorities as frequented by sex traffickers. The advertisement was reportedly part of a broader sting operation known as Operation Red Card, which officials said was intended to address sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation ahead of FIFA World Cup matches scheduled for the Boston area.
Giving a statement on behalf of senior monk Ven. Pahiyangala Ananda Sagara Thera, Prof. Derangala Kusalagnana Thera said that Ven. Mahayaye had left the monastic order on 16 May, adding that several leaders around the US would be contacted and would soon “jointly issue a statement on the incident.” (Daily Mirror)
According to police logs, the men arrested allegedly requested various sexual acts and offered payments ranging from US$125–400. The arrests reportedly took place at the Moxy Boston Downtown hotel, where several of the men were allegedly carrying the exact amount of cash they had offered to pay.
Tufts University confirmed that Ven. Mahayaye resigned from his position effective 15 June. Mahayaye had served as Buddhist chaplain at Tufts since December 2024.
“Yesterday, we were notified by Ven. Mahayaye Vineetha that he has resigned his position at Tufts University effective immediately,” Tufts executive director of media relations, Patrick Collins, said in a statement. (The Tufts Daily)
In a message sent through the university chaplaincy newsletter, University Chaplain Rev. Elyse Nelson Winger informed members of the Tufts community that Ven. Mahayaye had resigned and that the university would begin a search for a new Buddhist chaplain during the summer. She also said that the Buddhist Chaplaincy program would continue.
Boston police said the investigation remained connected to its wider anti-trafficking work and invited members of the public with information to contact the Human Trafficking Unit.
“The Boston Police Department remains committed to identifying and rescuing victims of trafficking and holding offenders accountable.” (Boston Police Department)
The allegations against Ven. Mahayaye come in the context of growing Buddhist chaplaincy programs at US universities, where Buddhist clergy and lay teachers often support students through meditation, pastoral care, interfaith work, and community-building. According to the Pew Research Center’s 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study, Buddhists make up about 1 per cent of US adults, while a 2023 Pew study of Asian American religion found that 11 per cent of Asian American adults identify religiously as Buddhist and another 21 per cent feel close to Buddhism for reasons such as family background or culture.
See more
Human Trafficking Unit Arrests Seven for Soliciting Prostitution in Boston (Boston Police Department)
BREAKING: Tufts Buddhist Chaplain arrested in prostitution sting, resigns from university (The Tufts Daily)
Buddhist Chaplaincy (Tufts University)
Mahayaya Vinita Thera no longer a monk, probe underway (Daily Mirror)
2023–24 Religious Landscape Study (Pew Research Center)
Religion Among Asian Americans (Pew Research Center)
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