Prosecutors say the nun also ordered school employees to alter and destroy financial records during the audit. She claimed that she was fired after she told her superior, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. This large chunk of stolen money came as the St. James Catholic School was operating under tight budgets with small concerns that the finances could not continue to keep the door open. American sister stole money from accounts she controlled as a headteacher and used it to pay off credit card charges and "large gambling expenses incurred at casinos". The rich uncle was the parents of the St. James students., The school monsignor has since sent out a letter in which the nuns asked that i convey to you the deep remorse they each feel for their actions and ask for your forgiveness and prayers.. Apparently, the Vegas trips were common knowledge, but the nuns explained that the gambling excursions were gifts from a rich uncle. Monday's case, however, does not involve trained and ordained ministers of the faith. The scheme was uncovered during an audit after Kreuper retired in 2018. Ive used this to teach my son that were all human, we all make mistakes, but the power of forgiveness is the most powerful tool that we have.. Sister Kreuper who took a vow of poverty confessed to using the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including her gambling habit. We use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and to offer you a better experience. Sister Mary is not full of grace. She admitted to taking a total of $835,000 in donations from the elementary school, and faces up to 40 years in federal prison. 2022 Blaze Media LLC. Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. The judge settled on a prison sentence of one year and a day and also ordered Kreuper to pay back the money she had stolen from the school. The account was opened in 1997 but had not been used in years, until Sister Mary Margaret started diverting checks into the forgotten account. Recap: Court Weighs Whether Religious Schools Can Fire Lay Workers, Listen Live: Supreme Court Arguments Schedule, Top 5 Moments From The Supreme Court's 1st Week Of Livestreaming Arguments, Fervor Vs Compromise At Supreme Court Birth Control Arguments, Supreme Court Arguments A Tech Success, But Format Strangles Usual Give-And-Take, Supreme Court Considers Anti-Prostitution Pledge In HIV/AIDS Funding Case. 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If these teachers are exempt, he adds, then millions of employees are automatically exempt from laws enacted by Congress to protect workers, simply because they perform some duty their employer considers religious. Despite the ongoing thefts, financial statements revealed the church continuing to operate in the black as the two sisters clandestinely plowed through church funds. I don't drink coffee, I wake up jacked. Kobe Bryant's widow awarded nearly $29m after police shared photos of helicopter crash, Doctors recommend end-of-life decision for Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore, Ramon Escobar: Serial murderer suspected of killing prison inmate. He had planned to be in Washington for Monday's argument. Officials said Kreuper lulled St. James School and the administration into believing that the schools finances were being properly accounted for and its financial assets properly safeguarded, which, in turn, allowed defendant Kreuper to maintain her access and control of the schools finances and accounts and, thus, continue operating the fraudulent scheme.. Parents and alumni of St. James told KTTV-TV in late 2018 that they hoped the school followed through with pursuing criminal complaints against Kreuper and Chang. Let us pray for our school families and for Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana, the letter added. Kreuper, who took vows of poverty at age 18 and spent 59 years in the religious order, said in her plea agreement that she had begun diverting money from the schools tuition and donation account to a savings account that funded the living expenses of the nuns who worked at the school and then used some of the money herself. 2023 Blaze Media LLC. Told one parent, We were an ATM, and people know it and they wont ask for justice., The embezzlement and the churchs seeming reluctance to act has led to some locals saying the scandal underscores a failure of church leadership- while also noting that only a police investigation can be trusted.. Her embezzlement activities took place from about 2008-2018. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, was sentenced on Monday to 12 months and one day in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II and ordered to pay $825,338 in restitution to the St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California . Margaret Mary Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang were accused of embezzling tuition, fees, and donations made in favor of St. James Catholic School to fund their gambling trips (Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet) Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. })(); Adriana Kuch attackers identified on social media in planned attack, St Louis execution shooting of homeless man: arrest made, Karen calls cops on black men shovelling snow for free outsider her home, Idaho murder suspect had multiple photos of female victim on phone, Torrance Catholic school nuns steal $500K for gambling habit- church resists charges. Parents said the two nuns were big on moral. In doing so, she agreed to plead guilty to: The money laundering charge relates to an episode in 2017, in which Kreuper improperly deposited checks from parents of pupils at the school into a convent bank account, rather than the school's bank account, then later used the convent account to write a $6,000 check to another unnamed person who subsequently cashed the check and gave Kreuper $6,000 in cash "so she could gamble in Nevada.". Now, nearly three years later, she faces up to 40 years in prison and will appear in the Federal District Court in Los Angeles on July 1. In June 2021, several local, national, and international news outlets reported that a nun in California had admitted, and was preparing to plead guilty to, embezzling $835,000 from the Catholic school she ran for three decades. The tuition checks and funds sent to St. James Catholic School between 2008 and 2018 that were stolen by Kreuper equaled the tuition of 14 different students per year, prosecutors said. But somewhere along the line, you just ran completely off the road, and I think you understand that. Each time, Kreuper had the same response to the community, according to the Times: How do you expect to pay for it? All the while, Kreuper spoke openly about her gambling trips, saying her vice principals wealthy relatives funded the casino excursions to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, prosecutors say. She claimed that she was fired after she told her superior, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. We do know that they had a pattern of going on trips. But Fisher counters that function can't be the only criterion because many employers at religiously affiliated institutions sincerely believe that all of their employees perform important ministerial functions, from nurses who care for the sick, to summer camp counselors for troubled teenagers, and athletic coaches who mold the character of their charges and often lead them in prayer. She must give up the right to control or benefit from personal property and commits herself to live interdependently within a community. She was so hurt that they could be doing this to her.". Officials pointed out that Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty as a nun. She betrayed the trust of people in the community, the parents, students, the archdiocese and the sisters. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, who was principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used the school funds to pay for personal expenses, including gambling trips, according to the release. The now-retired nun (I didnt know nuns could retire) admitted to stealing about $835,000 in donations, tuition and fees. Get the news that matters most delivered directly to your inbox. Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. They and their Order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school. Claiming mental illness at her age is a play for probation or the ability to serve her sentence at home. It involves two fifth-grade teachers at Catholic schools in California. Kreuper as the school's principal, handled all tuition payments, with the sister depositing checks into a separate . "I have sinned," Sister Mary told a US . It's very disturbing. (Shutterstock) LOS ANGELES, CA The retired principal of a Catholic . An old unused bank account was the giveaway. One parent told the outlet of the situation: "It's crazy. Mr Kumar said that jealousy played a part, calling the episode "really an abuse of position of trust". These nuns took a vow of poverty and said, Oh no, weve got a rich uncle, parent Jack Alexander said. The second suit was brought by Kristen Biel against St. James School in Torrance. Thanks for contacting us. Kreuper was in charge of the schools credit union account, where she was meant to deposit cash and checks from tuition, fees and donations. Ultimately, he argues, the schools consider the teachers to be performing an important religious function, and therefore, they can be fired for any reason because they are not subject to the nation's fair employment laws. His wife, he said, drove into their driveway "in tears bawling hysterically. She then used some of the funds to pay for "large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges.. In June 2021, Mary Margaret Kreuper, a Catholic nun in the Los Angeles congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. District Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, whereby she committed to pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, and admitted taking part in a 10-year scheme to defraud St. James' Catholic School, an elementary school in Torrance, California, where she had served as principal for 28 years, to the amount of $835,000. Well, Sister Mary Margaret didnt quite stay true to her vow. When Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper became a nun, she took vows to live as Jesus did through chastity, obedience and service to the poor, sick and uneducated. Kreuper originally pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering back in 2021. Jaclyn Peiser contributed to this report. They say she also instructed employees at the school to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit, investigators found. Police will still present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office, NBC reported. var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; Kreuper was 18 years old when she took her vow of poverty, according to her lawyers, and spent the next 59 years of her life dedicated to the church. In June 2021, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted to embezzling $835,000 from the Catholic school where she served as principal for 28 years. Advice for the relationships in your life and how to boost your own well-being. Local 10 Newsreported Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang of St.James Catholic School(both retiring earlier this year) using money from the schools funds to live a life of luxury over the last ten years. The embezzlement helped to fuel her gambling habit. I, for one, absolutely love this move. Earlier in June, the former principal of St. James School was charged with wire fraud and money laundering. Kreuper took fellow nuns on some of those trips and spent thousands of the primary school's money. Yes, a Nun Has Admitted to Embezzling $835,000 from a Catholic School Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering for her role in a scheme to defraud a. On. By Megan Carpentier. Kumar said the nuns instruction to the auditors sparked suspicion, and they reported the incident to Msgr. "You don't want the government deciding who teaches religion we don't do that in this country that's why we have an establishment clause," says Rassbach. "Such action interferes with the internal governance of the church, depriving the church of control over the selection of those who will personify its beliefs.". By signing up to the Blaze News newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from Blaze Media that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content. His . "Far from it. An 80-year-old nun who gambled away more than $835,000 in school funds was sentenced to twelve months and a day in federal prison Monday, according to a press release from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). An 80-year-old nun who gambled away more than $835,000 in school funds was sentenced to twelve months and a day in federal prison Monday, according to a press release from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). James School.. The two announced their retirement at the same time and were on their way out in 2018. Michael Meyers, the pastor at St. James Church. Were those functions to be considered ministerial, Fisher says, the results would be dire. Similar articles were published by the Los Angeles Times, KTLA, and Unilad.co.uk. The vow leads a nun to imitate Jesus, who for our sake became poor, although he was rich. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. These nuns took a vow of poverty and said, oh no, weve got a rich uncle, one parent told the Press-Telegram. According to prosecutors, Kreuper had stolen whats estimated to have been the tuition for 14 students at the K-8 school in funds that were intended to further the students education, not fund [Kreupers] lifestyle., When confronted, the defendant admitted to stealing the money, Kumar said. She was also entrusted with overseeing the St. James Covenant Account, a savings account that funded the living expenses of the nuns who worked at the school, the indictment against her states. 15 Episodes of Seinfeld That Teach Everything You Need To Know About Life. Is A Hot Dog A Sandwich? This was a manifestation of greed, Kumar said, adding that the nun had abused the trust of the community. In a statement to the Washinton Post her attorneys, Mark A. Byrne and Daniel V. Nixon, said she is very remorseful and sorry for any harm she has caused.. Kreuper, who pleaded guilty last summer to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II to pay more than $825,000 in restitution. In total, across a period of 10 years, Kreuper siphoned $835,339 from the school's accounts. A now-retired nun has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $800,000 from the St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, from 2008 to 2018, the last decade of her 28-year tenure as principal of the institution. I wanted to see them. At the heart of this dispute is the First Amendment ban on government establishment of religion and the separation of church and state. Chief Justice John Roberts announced the opinion from the bench, noting that the teacher who brought the case was not a lay teacher. It is "telling," in these cases, he says, that the "teachers did not even have to be Catholic to have these jobs.". Each of the counts carries a maximum sentence of 40 years behind bars. The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006. She faces up to 40 years in federal prison, but is claiming mental illness. Rather, he said, she is religiously trained and a commissioned minister of the church. It turns out that at the time Kristen Biel learned she had breast cancer, Kreuper, the school principal who fired her, was embezzling large amounts of money to go on gambling sprees in Las Vegas. Kreuper pleaded guilty last July. They added that "later in her life, she has been suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgment and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done.. I have sinned, I have broken the law and I have no excuses, Kreuper told the judge during her hearing, according to the Los Angeles Times. 5 Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering Credit: KCAL 9 5 Her husband said that in her final days, the couple talked extensively about the case. The auditor found that tuition checks, fees and donations were being deposited into a bank account not used by the school. A retired nun has admitted to embezzling $835,000 over 10 years from a Catholic school in California to fund her gambling habit, according to federal prosecutors. As soon as she was confronted, she accepted full responsibility for what she had done and she has cooperated completely with law enforcement and the archdiocese, the statement said, adding that she has been suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgment. Though he acknowledges that the teachers taught religion from a workbook about three hours a week, Fisher says these teachers were "primarily lay employees" teaching "secular subjects. ", "Just as teaching science out of a fifth-grade textbook doesn't make them scientists, teaching religion for 40 minutes a day out of a workbook doesn't make them ministers," he says. Kreuper also admitted to falsifying monthly and annual reports to the school administration in an effort to cover up the embezzlement. Instead of sitting in the Supreme Court chamber, though, Biel, like the rest of us, will be at home listening. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admits to stealing over $835k from a Catholic School. At the sentencing hearing, those who spoke were split on their feelings toward the nun and what she had done. Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were in the clear. Also implicated in the scheme was Lana Chang, who worked as a teacher at St. James before becoming vice principal. James Convent, not St. When staff members finally found the check, they realized that it was not deposited in a St. James account, but a different bank account. On June 9, for example, Fox News reported that: A retired Los Angeles nun will plead guilty to embezzling $835,000 from the elementary school where she worked in order to cover her gambling habits and other personal expenses, officials said this week. "The Gambling Nuns" saga is unlikely to come up at the Supreme Court, but it certainly is on Darryl Biel's mind. But how do we define who is a minister and who is not? After taking a vow of poverty, her excuse for lavish gambling expenses is hilarious. St.James Catholic School caught embezzling $500K for personal use, including gambling as church declines to press charges. Sister Mary Margarets lawyers said that she is very remorseful, and has been suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgement and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done.. According to the outlet, "Kreuper acknowledged diverting money to pay for personal expenses that included credit card charges and 'large gambling expenses incurred at casinos,' the U.S. attorney's office said.". Months after Kreuper admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars, the 80-year-old was sentenced on Monday to a year and a day in federal prison. This is because, as part of the plea deal, the prosecutors have agreed to recommend to the court an "offense level" of 25 for Kreuper's crimes, and will further advise the court to reduce that to 23, or even 22. Mary Margaret Kreuper of Los Angeles was sentenced to one year and a day in prison after pleading guilty in July 2021 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according. Dan Mac Guill is a former writer for Snopes. 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Teachers at Catholic schools in California Need to know about life about $ 835,000 in,.
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