Highlight financial crimes
Embezzlement Tracker
SNAP tracks and documents the number of embezzlement cases in the United States to showcase how church and other religious staff take advantage of the opportunity to steal. SNAP maintains this count to expose the ongoing strategy of aggressively pursuing those stealing church assets instead of those committing crimes against children and vulnerable people. This spotlight aims to reveal the alarming frequency of embezzlement and financial scandal in religious settings.
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Bookkeeper sentenced to 33 months in prison for embezzling $580,000 from church
ST. LOUIS, MO – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Friday sentenced the former parish secretary and bookkeeper who embezzled from a DeSoto, Missouri church to 33 months in prison and ordered her to repay $581,337. Corie M. Boyer of Jefferson County, Missouri, stole the funds from the parish … Continue reading Bookkeeper sentenced to 33 months in prison for embezzling $580,000 from church
El Cajon Chaldean bishop arrested at airport on embezzlement, money laundering charges
SAN DIEGO, CA — Bishop Emanuel Shaleta was arrested at the San Diego International Airport and jailed The bishop of a Chaldean Catholic church in El Cajon was arrested while trying to leave the country Thursday and jailed on suspicion of embezzlement, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said. The … Continue reading El Cajon Chaldean bishop arrested at airport on embezzlement, money laundering charges
Former Church Official Charged with Stealing Funds
TRENTON, NJ – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice announced today that a former officer of a Roman Catholic church in Monmouth County, New Jersey, has been charged with stealing more than $500,000 from the church. Joseph A. Manzi, 78, of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, is … Continue reading Former Church Official Charged with Stealing Funds
Former Milwaukee pastor embezzled $33K+ from church, gets probation
MILWAUKEE, WI – A former Milwaukee pastor pleaded guilty to stealing money from the church he served and was sentenced to probation on Friday. Prosecutors said 42-year-old Mauricio Fernandez-Boscan used the St. Adalbert Parish credit card to make personal purchases that totaled more than $33,000 from 2018 to 2022. Court records show Fernandez-Boscan pleaded … Continue reading Former Milwaukee pastor embezzled $33K+ from church, gets probation
Woman accused of embezzling more than half a million dollars from church
NASSAU COUNTY, FL — A woman is accused of embezzling more than half a million dollars from a church. The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office arrested 44-year-old Melissa Ganey English on charges of embezzlement from Amelia Baptist Church. According to the sheriff’s office, English served as the church’s financial secretary for 11 years … Continue reading Woman accused of embezzling more than half a million dollars from church
Luxembourg church reels from massive embezzlement at Caritas charity
LUXEMBOURG — Catholics in Luxembourg have expressed shock over a massive theft at their church’s Caritas charity, while hoping the scandal will not halt donations ahead of Pope Francis’ September visit. “We are astonished — we never thought such a thing could happen,” said Gerard Kieffer, press officer for the … Continue reading Luxembourg church reels from massive embezzlement at Caritas charity
A cardinal is convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in Vatican trial
VATICAN CITY — A Vatican tribunal on Saturday convicted a cardinal of embezzlement and sentenced him to 5 ½ years in prison in one of several verdicts handed down in a complicated financial trial that aired the city state’s dirty laundry and tested its justice system. Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the … Continue reading A cardinal is convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in Vatican trial
Former Church Employee Sentenced to Pay Restitution and Serve Two Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Church Out of More Than $450,000
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Yesterday, Darla Bralley, 59, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $450,000 from St. Paul The Apostle Catholic Church, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On August 17, 2022, Bralley was charged by Information with wire … Continue reading Former Church Employee Sentenced to Pay Restitution and Serve Two Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Church Out of More Than $450,000
72-year-old woman imprisoned for embezzling $700,000 from Holy Cross Church in Vero Beach
VERO BEACH, FL – A 72-year-old woman guilty of embezzling around $700,000 from Holy Cross Catholic Church on July 18 was ordered to prison for a decade followed by 20 years of probation. Deborah Lynn True, a resident of Frederick, Colorado and a former parish administrator at Holy Cross Catholic … Continue reading 72-year-old woman imprisoned for embezzling $700,000 from Holy Cross Church in Vero Beach
Priest Sentenced to Nearly Eight Years for Embezzlement
RAPID CITY, SD — The federal court also ordered nearly $260,000 in restitution payments and $46,000 in back taxes. A federal district court in South Dakota sentenced a priest to nearly eight years in prison. The court also ordered the priest to pay nearly $260,000 in restitution to three churches … Continue reading Priest Sentenced to Nearly Eight Years for Embezzlement
Sonoma County priest accused of embezzling $100,000 likely won’t be prosecuted
SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Members of Resurrection Parish in Santa Rosa expressed surprise, dismay and also forgiveness following Sunday’s revelation that Father Oscar Diaz has stolen tens of thousands of dollars from the collection bags. “The total cash is in excess of $95,000,” wrote Bishop Robert Vasa of the Santa … Continue reading Sonoma County priest accused of embezzling $100,000 likely won’t be prosecuted
Probation but No Prison Time for Catholic Priest Who Embezzled $200k from California Church
FRESNO, CA — 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 … Continue reading Probation but No Prison Time for Catholic Priest Who Embezzled $200k from California Church
Priest sentenced to 5 years, ordered to pay back almost $2 million
DAYTON, OH — This newspaper’s investigation in May 2015 revealed the extent of the Rev. Earl Simone’s property holdings and issues with debt and unpaid taxes. We have followed this story as the case worked its way through the legal system. The Rev. Earl Simone, 75, will spend 5 years … Continue reading Priest sentenced to 5 years, ordered to pay back almost $2 million
Embezzling priest sentenced to 27 months in prison
DETROIT, MI — The longtime former pastor of St. Thomas More Parish in Troy who pleaded guilty in September in connection to allegations he misused hundreds of thousands of dollars in parish funds was sentenced Dec. 1 to serve 27 months in prison and pay $573,000 in restitution. U.S. District … Continue reading Embezzling priest sentenced to 27 months in prison
High-roller Irish priest jailed for Florida parish thefts
WEST PALM BEACH, FL — Disgraced Irish pensioner priest Father John Skehan has been jailed for 14 months on charges of stealing more than $100,000 from his parish coffers in Florida. Disgraced Irish pensioner priest Father John Skehan has been jailed for 14 months on charges of stealing more than … Continue reading High-roller Irish priest jailed for Florida parish thefts
Priest sentenced to 2 years in prison for parish thefts
PROVIDENCE, RI – The former pastor of a Roman Catholic church in North Providence was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison for stealing more than $123,400 from the parish. The Rev. Philip Magaldi, who most recently was assigned to four rural parishes in Texas, was ordered to serve the … Continue reading Priest sentenced to 2 years in prison for parish thefts
