I’ve heard accusations like this before but not seen much history to back up one view or the other.
I could see that getting mixed up with Caesar would have Bad Effects. Now suddenly the city constable who worships an idol is going to have a beef with you if you admonish him about the idol but the church that stood behind his hiring finds a way to wink at the idol. The approval of man, rather than of God, jinxed the scene.
Waldensians
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldensians
And there are others who know more about that past.
Perhaps they can direct you to posts of theirs that demonstrate those events.