Ex-Greek Orthodox Archdiocese exec accused of embezzling over $500K

The onetime executive director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has been busted for pocketing more than $500,000 in church funds, according to prosecutors.

Jerome Dimitriou, 55, allegedly ran two separate schemes dating back to 2011, according to a Manhattan federal court complaint unsealed Monday.

Prosecutors claim he charged tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses to the diocese-issued credit card, while also instructing subordinates to cut him around $500,000 in bonus checks without proper authorization
Ex-Greek Orthodox Archdiocese exec accused of embezzling over $500K

Former Butte pastor pleads guilty to embezzling $288k | Crime & Courts | missoulian.com

A longtime Butte pastor and former official of the Pentecostal church's regional district pleaded guilty Thursday to embezzling more than $250,000 from the church.

Kenneth Hogue was charged in U.S. District Court this week with federal wire fraud for siphoning $288,757.94 from the Rocky Mountain District of the United Pentecostal Church from June 2012 until July 18, 2016.

The court filings charging Hogue were accompanied by a plea agreement setting out the terms for his guilty plea. Hogue has agreed to pay the embezzled amount back but nothing more, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said during the Thursday hearing that the Rocky Mountain District of the Pentecostal church may seek additional restitution.

Former Butte pastor pleads guilty to embezzling $288k | Crime & Courts | missoulian.com

Nuns improperly took as much as $500,000 from Torrance Catholic school – Press Telegram

Two longtime nuns at St. James Catholic School in Torrance allegedly embezzled as much as $500,000 in tuition, fees and donations, perhaps spending some of the money on trips and gambling at casinos while telling parents the school was operating on a shoestring budget, officials and parents said.

The figure represents only what auditors have been able to trace in six years’ of bank records and might not include other cash transactions, officials from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles told parents and alumni at a meeting Monday night at St. James Catholic Church in Redondo Beach. An audio recording of the two-hour meeting was obtained by the Southern California News Group.

The apparent scandal came to light last week when the church’s small, K-8 school announced that it had notified police that Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, and Sister Lana Chang, who both had retired earlier this year, were “involved in the personal use of a substantial amount of school funds.” But the nuns had expressed remorse, and the archdiocese and the church were not pursuing criminal charges.

Nuns improperly took as much as $500,000 from Torrance Catholic school – Press Telegram

Blue Springs church employee embezzled more than $400,000 | The Kansas City Star

A longtime employee at a Blue Springs church embezzled $446,000 over the past seven years, the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph said Tuesday.

The employee, who had served St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church for decades, was confronted by an internal investigation team last week and has agreed to pay the funds back, said diocese spokesman Jack Smith.
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The parish used a checkbook system from which checks were torn out and an accounting stub was left in the book. The employee was writing checks to herself, then entering the names of various vendors on the stubs, Smith said.

Though the employee worked at the church for decades, the false checks occurred only during the past seven years, Smith said.

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Blue Springs church employee embezzled more than $400,000 | The Kansas City Star

UPDATED::Records: Priest admitted in 2007 to using parish checks for home construction

UPDATE::  Michigan priest's embezzlement trial delayed until 2019

An embezzlement trial for a Roman Catholic priest is being delayed because he's getting new lawyers after police say they discovered $63,000 hidden above ceiling tiles in his Michigan home.
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Wehrle's defense attorney said shortly after the discovery that he was withdrawing from the case. The Lansing State Journal reports Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Joyce Draganchuk has rescheduled this month's planned trial to January to give new legal counsel time to prepare.

UPDATE::  $63G found in ceiling at home of priest charged with embezzling millions, police say

Authorities seized the cash after the Roman Catholic priest was accused of embezzling millions from a local parish to fund the construction of his luxurious mansion, police said.

The search was conducted at the Rev. Jonathan Wehrle's million-dollar home in Williamston — about 19 miles east of Lansing, the Lansing State Journal reported.

Michigan State Police said they found $63,392 stashed in the basement ceiling. The bulk of cash was in $2,000 bundles of $20 bills and wrapped in bands that said, “For Deposit Only-St. Martha Parish and School.”

UPDATE:: How $42K-a-year priest built mansion worth millions

The Rev. Jon Wehrle, who is proud of his prowess as a builder, constructed his masterpiece on the rural outskirts of this central Michigan town.

The two-story, stone-façade house has eight bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, a library, wine cellar, indoor swimming pool and wood-paneled elevator. The 11,300-square-foot home boasts granite counter tops, limestone fireplaces, walnut hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers and stained-glass windows.

Wehrle, 67, who was pastor of St. Martha Church in Okemos, lived in the mansion, which a contractor said was worth $3 million to $4 million.

How could a Catholic priest who earned $42,000 a year afford such opulence?

Police officials argue the clergyman had stolen from the Sunday collection plate for at least 19 years. An audit found $5 million missing from church coffers, they said.

UPDATE::  Priest accused of embezzlement seeks $800K seized by police

The attorney for a Michigan priest accused of bilking a Catholic church that’s missing millions of dollars asked a judge Friday to authorize the release of $800,000 seized by police to his client.
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Prosecutors filed an application in June for a lien against an 11,000-square-foot home the priest owns that’s worth more than $1 million and sits on 10 acres. Wehrle’s lawyer, Lawrence Nolan, has said money from Wehrle’s family could have paid for it.

The lien application states that Wehrle had “sole access” to St. Martha Parish’s finances and offerings, “with no oversight within the parish” and lists 10 residences Wehrle owns or has owned since 1988 in several Michigan communities and in Florida.

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Police and prosecutors have alleged Wehrle used money from St. Martha Parish to pay for work and materials at his Williamston home. At a hearing last week, Assistant Ingham County Prosecutor Andrew Stevens said an ongoing audit estimates about $5 million is missing from the parish.

Wehrle's attorney argues there was an understanding between Wehrle and the Diocese of Lansing regarding use of parish funds.

Wehrle was placed on administrative leave from St. Martha Parish in May and charged days later with embezzlement of $100,000 or more. 

Copies of the transcript were filed amid hundreds of pages of information in a 2007 civil lawsuit between Wehrle and contractors involved in the the construction of the priest's home in Williamston.

The transcript and other documentation hint at Wehrle's family investments, his history of home construction and his opulent plans for his Noble Road home.

Records: Priest admitted in 2007 to using parish checks for home construction

UPDATED::Prosecutors review checks as part of priest embezzlement case | abc30.com

UPDATE:: Probation but no prison time for Catholic priest who embezzled $200K from California church

A former reverend at Tulare's St. Rita's Catholic Church was sentenced Wednesday to five years of probation, a recommendation from the county's probation department and a request from the Fresno diocese.

The sentencing was issued despite Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward asking for a stiffer penalty.

Ignacio Villafan, 52, pleaded guilty to one felony count of grand theft of personal property with the special allegation that the financial amount was more than $200,000.

UPDATE:: Former Tulare pastor pleads no contest in embezzlement case, will be sentenced in August

On Monday morning, Tulare County Presiding Judge Gary Paden made it perfectly clear to Ignacio Villafan that he wants him to start making some money immediately.

He wants Villafan to repay St. Rita's Catholic Church in Tulare, where he was pastor from 2005 to 2012. Father Villafan is charged with stealing more than $300,000 from the church during that time.

 Villafan's attorney says his client's no contest plea on Monday was a way to avoid a possibly stiffer sentence at trial but is not an admission of guilt.

"I know the allegation is that he took much from the church but I think what's been overlooked here is that he put much into the church," said attorney Victor Perez.

A South Valley priest accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his church was back in court Monday.

52-year-old Ignacio Villafan was the former priest at Rita's Catholic Church in Tulare. His preliminary hearing continued on Monday, and Gerrie Lenn Pimentel again took the witness stand.

As director of parish financial reporting for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, she discovered discrepancies that eventually lead to Villafan's arrest in late 2014.

Prosecutors say Villafan stole $425,000 from St. Rita's between 2005 and 2012.

Prosecutors review checks as part of priest embezzlement case | abc30.com

North Alabama man accused of stealing $20K from church - WBRC FOX6 News - Birmingham, AL

A Huntsville man is accused of stealing more than $20,000 from his church and church members tell police he confessed to the crime in front of the entire congregation.

Gary Bradley III, 38, who goes by Tripp, was arrested Friday and charged with theft of property. He has since been released on $30,000 bond.

According to police, Bradley embezzled money from Mayfair Church of Christ, located on Carl T. Jones Drive, by taking and depositing funds into an account he controlled.

The church's lead minister says Bradley is a member of the church who has helped with the weekly collection during services.

North Alabama man accused of stealing $20K from church - WBRC FOX6 News - Birmingham, AL

New lawsuit against pastor accuses him of embezzling $100,000 | Lexington Herald Leader

A Lexington pastor under scrutiny since last fall is now accused of embezzling $100,000 of a church contribution, according to a civil lawsuit filed by two church members. 

The new lawsuit from James Keogh and Chad Martin filed Friday in Fayette County Circuit Court provides more specific details about the source of the heated dispute at Southern Acres Christian Church than did an earlier lawsuit that was dismissed while the church members tried to work with pastor Cameron McDonald.

Keogh and Martin accuse McDonald of embezzlement, unlawful conversion of funds and unjust enrichment in the civil complaint. An attorney representing McDonald earlier said no money had been misused and denied all allegations. Attempts to reach attorney Austin Wilkerson Tuesday were not immediately successful.

New lawsuit against pastor accuses him of embezzling $100,000 | Lexington Herald Leader

Dennison-area woman charged with stealing $24,283.67 from church

A 56-year-old woman who served as treasurer of Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church for 25 years has been charged with two counts of grand theft, accused of taking more than $24,000 from the church over five years.

Defendant Barbara L. Fouts, of the Dennison area, has pleaded not guilty to the Nov. 20 indictment. Her next court date is March 21, when a pretrial conference is scheduled with Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Judge Edward O’Farrell.

The alleged theft was found after a change in church leadership, according to assistant county prosecutor Scott Deedrick.

Dennison-area woman charged with stealing $24,283.67 from church

Deerfield woman charged with embezzling from church

Recent indictments filed in Superior Court allege that South Deerfield resident Jeanne Elizabeth Grover, 46, previously charged with embezzling upward of $30,000 from Stillwater Condominium Association, also took money from the First Church of Deerfield.

“Between the two victims, this is $60,000, approximately,” said Deerfield Police officer Adam Sokoloski, who oversaw an investigation that led to Grover’s arrest Sept. 21, 2017. Most recently, the First Church of Deerfield alleged that Grover, who worked as an administrative assistant there, stole more than $20,000 from congregation members.

According to an initial report filed by Sokoloski in District Court, a representative of the Stillwater Condominium Association came to the police station after being contacted by Greenfield Savings Bank’s fraud and theft prevention division, which reported that $18,173 had been transferred from the condo association’s account without approval over about five years.

Deerfield woman charged with embezzling from church

Botetourt County church treasurer sentenced for embezzling...

One I missed from late last year.  From other reports read, the church in question could ill afford this scam; only 50 parishoners.

A judge sentenced a Botetourt County church treasurer to prison Tuesday for embezzling thousands of dollars.

Prosecutors say 43-year-old Stephanie Everett embezzled nearly $100,000 from Stephanie Everett

The money was supposed to be used to help people in need but instead, it was used for everyday purchases by Everett, as well as big purchases that included a beach vacation and Virginia Tech football tickets.

Botetourt County church treasurer sentenced for embezzling...

Monsignor who stole $500,000 for gambling, concert tickets headed to federal prison

The church has forgiven Msgr. William Dombrow for embezzling a half-million dollars meant to fund the care of aging and retired priests.

The federal justice system, however, showed Wednesday that it was not so ready to absolve him.

U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert sentenced the former rector of Villa St. Joseph, a retirement home for priests in Darby Borough, to eight months in prison, citing the need to punish a man who stole thousands to cover his copious gambling debts, buy concert tickets, and pay for expenses on trips abroad.

The judge expressed surprise at what he described as the “no harm, no foul” attitude that many of Dombrow’s supporters – including leaders of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia — espoused in relation to his crimes.

Monsignor who stole $500,000 for gambling, concert tickets headed to federal prison

Former church official sentenced to prison for embezzling | Wisconsin | lacrossetribune.com

A former accounting clerk at a church in Onalaska has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for stealing from her congregation.

Fifty-nine-year-old Barbara Snyder, of West Salem, was accused of stealing more than $800,000 from St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church when she was responsible for depositing church collections and maintaining accounting records between 2006 and 2015. Authorities said she used the money to gamble at casinos.

Snyder pleaded guilty in August to wire fraud and falsifying tax returns. Court documents show that during her sentencing Thursday she also was ordered to pay about $832,000 in restitution.

Former church official sentenced to prison for embezzling | Wisconsin | lacrossetribune.com

County health official sent $500,000 to psychic palm reader for consulting, AG says | MLive.com

The headline that caught my attention,

A Calhoun County health official is facing criminal charges after he allegedly sent more than $500,000 to a psychic palm reader for "health consulting" services.

Ervin Brinker, 68, of Delton, has been charged with two counts of Medicaid fraud conspiracy and one count of embezzlement by a public officer, Attorney General Bill Schuette announced in a Wednesday press release.

Brinker was the CEO of Summit Pointe in Battle Creek until he was terminated in February. Summit Pointe is a community mental health authority, established by the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners.

Summit Pointe records show a total of $510,000 was dispersed in two separate contracts to pay a "health care consultant" in Key West, Fla. between May 2011 and November 2012, according to the news release.

An investigation by the Attorney General's office revealed that Brinker allegedly sent the money to a Key West psychic palm reader and her husband. Brinker signed the fraudulent contracts without consulting other employees, the AG's office alleges.

From the Battle Creek Enquirer we learn,

Tommy Eli of Key West was listed as a Summit Pointe contractor; his name was raised at the Feb. 17 meeting in which Brinker was fired.

At the public hearing, Brinker through his lawyer repeatedly refused to ask questions about Eli, declining to speak unless he was assured the information wouldn't be used for potential criminal prosecution.

Summit Pointe's lawyers alleged illusory contract services, saying they were unable to confirm Eli had any professional credentials and that they only found a one-page document as proof of work.

But they did know this: Eli received $510,000 in payments from Summit Pointe. He billed the agency for more than 1,100 hours of work from October 2012 to April 2013, some of which were claimed in invoices to have been conducted in person at Summit Pointe's offices. The last payment — $265,000 — was sent by overnight courier to a Key West address, marked to the attention of Julie Davis.

The address is a psychic business. Davis is a psychic and tarot card reader, according to a business license filed with the city of Key West.

But through it all, it is not just an issue with the psychic as it appears there were other irregularities as well,

Summit Pointe's board fired Brinker for cause, alleging he created a defined-benefits pension plan without board approval and for his own personal benefit. Board members also said Brinker had "apparent and actual conflicts of interest" with some of the agency's vendors, and didn't competitively bid million-dollar contracts that were granted to vendors with whom he had outside business ties.

Still disconcerting either way.

County health official sent $500,000 to psychic palm reader for consulting, AG says | MLive.com