Michael Geilenfeld biography: 13 things about Algona, Iowa native who founded orphanage in Haiti

Who is Michael Geilenfeld?

Michael Karl Geilenfeld is an American man born and raised in Algona, Kossuth County, Iowa, United States. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. He has lived in different parts of California, USA including El Cajon and San Diego.
2. He previously lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
3. Aside from Algona, he has lived in other parts of Iowa including Oelwein and Cedar Rapids.
4. He is the founder of the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys, an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
5. Based in North Carolina, USA, Hearts with Haiti helped fund the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys, which he operated.
6. He allegedly sexually abused underage boys who were living in the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys while he was operating the orphanage.
7. He is 2 years younger than Paul Kendrick of Freeport, Maine, USA.
8. In 1974, he started working with children by joining Brothers of Charity and working alongside Mother Teresa in Los Angeles and different countries including Cambodia, El Salvador, India and Haiti. 
9. In January 1985, he founded the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys.
10. In 2011, Kendrick accused him of being a serial pedophile.
11. Between 2006 and 2010, he allegedly traveled from Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida to Haiti multiple times to engage in sexual acts with minors. 
12. From 2014 to 2015, he spent 237 days in jail in Port-au-Prince on suspicion of charges of indecent assault and criminal conspiracy.
13. In February 2025, he turned 73.

TIMELINE

2011

• Through emails on February 3, 2011, he denied that he had ever sexually abused any person when asked by Kendrick.
• On July 10, 2011, Kendrick sent him an email about a pastor named Rick Barger saying, “You can tell your jerk of a houseguest, Pastor Rick, that no matter how hard he tries to protect and defend you, you will be indicted, arrested, convicted and imprisoned for child sex abuse.”

2012

• On November 13, 2012, Kendrick sent Homeland Security Investigations agent Bruce Foucart an email claiming that he sexually abused Sony Derazin, a man with cerebral palsy.
• On December 18, 2012, Kendrick retracted the claim that he sexually abused Derazin.

2013

• On February 6, 2013, he and Hearts with Haiti filed a complaint against Kendrick, asserting claims for defamation, false light invasion of privacy and tortious interference with advantageous economic relationships.

2014

• On May 9, 2014, Kendrick filed a sealed motion for partial summary judgment with a supporting statement of material facts about the allegations that he sexually abused underage boys. 
• On June 4, 2014, he and Hearts with Haiti responded to Kendrick’s motion and supporting statement of material facts and filed their statement of additional facts and on June 18, 2014, Kendrick replied to the response and statement of additional facts.
• In September 2014, he was arrested.

2015

• In May 2015, he was released from jail after five of his alleged victims did not appear at a key hearing so the case was dismissed.
• In July 2015, federal jury awarded $7 million to him and $7.5 million to Hearts with Haiti.

2019

• In September 2019, Kendrick’s insurance companies agreed to pay $3 million to Hearts With Haiti but nothing to him. He and Hearts With Haiti dropped their defamation claims.

2024

• On January 20, 2024, he was arrested in Denver, Colorado, USA and charged with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. 
• On April 16, 2024, he pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing him of sexually assaulting four underage boys.

2025

• On February 21, 2025, a federal jury in Miami convicted him of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
• On May 5, 2025, he will be sentenced.