The money she stole was used to pay off credit card charges and "large gambling expenses incurred at casinos", the US attorney's office said. She is set to be arraigned in court on July 1. "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=47402'; 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. She was the principal and had been colluding with longtime teacher Sister Lana Chang on the operation, per the Daily Breeze. Well, Sister Mary Margaret didnt quite stay true to her vow. Jaclyn Peiser contributed to this report. Her embezzlement activities took place from about 2008-2018. I promised her I would see this through," he says. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) Mary Margaret Kreuper, a now-retired nun who was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, has agreed to plead guilty to fraud and money laundering charges. They say she also instructed employees at the school to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit, investigators found. The 80-year-old nun pleaded for mercy after stealing $835,339 from an elementary Catholic school to fund her gambling addiction.. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admits to stealing over $835k from a Catholic School. 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). "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. But how do we define who is a minister and who is not? Kreuper has agreed to plead guilty to the charges in a deal with prosecutors, the US Attorney's Office of California said in a statement. It was only after she vacated her position that school officials unearthed her fraudulent scheme. 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. Thanks for contacting us. As principal, Kreuper had been in charge of the school's credit union account, where she was meant to deposit cash and checks from tuition, fees and donations. Kreuper became principal at St. James Catholic School in 1990, a position she held for 28 years until her retirement in September 2018. Is A Hot Dog A Sandwich? Court documents show that she also oversaw the St. James Convent Account, a savings account that funded the living expenses of the nuns who worked at the school. During his sentencing, Wright, a 2007 appointee under President George W. Bush, praised Kreuper for her tenure as one heck of a teacher at the school. 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. The nun took frequent gambling trips to Las Vegas and holidays to Lake Tahoe and other locations in southern California, according to Poonam Kumar, the assistant US attorney. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, who took a vow of poverty, begged a judge to show her mercy and spare her prison, saying: "I have sinned, I've broken the law and I have no excuses.". Get the news that matters most delivered directly to your inbox. 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. After much public outcry to pursue legal action, the archdiocese hired a former FBI agent to investigate the two nuns. Five of the nine justices hearing Monday's case attended Catholic secondary schools, and several of them have sent their children to parochial schools as well. 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.". Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday for defrauding St. James Catholic School over a period of 10 years. Michael Meyers, the churchs monsignor, said Kreuper was very nervous and anxious during the audit and she reportedly asked staff members to change school records. Indeed, he observes, they would be exempt not just from anti-discrimination laws, but also laws that protect individuals from retaliation when they report misbehavior to authorities, and laws imposing wage and hour regulations. 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. Despite the ongoing thefts, financial statements revealed the church continuing to operate in the black as the two sisters clandestinely plowed through church funds. They have been removed from their residence, placed in a religious house under the supervision of community leadership, and their freedom of movement is confined.". Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. James Convent, not St. She claimed that she was fired after she told her superior, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She doesn't have any money. Nun who stole $835K from school to fund gambling habit is going to prison: I have sinned, Carolyn Hax: Boyfriends visits leave single mom with no time for herself, Miss Manners: What to do when a fellow diner was rude to server. Kreuper was 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, her lawyers told the Post. The principal allegedly withheld some of the checks and deposited them into the other account, endorsing the back with a stamp that read, St. Mr Kumar said that jealousy played a part, calling the episode "really an abuse of position of trust". Earlier in June, the former principal of St. James School was charged with wire fraud and money laundering. Kreuper falsified monthly and annual reports to cover up her crime and asked school employees to alter and destroy financial records during an audit. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper used tuition fees and donations to a California Catholic school to subsidize her casino expenses. Kreuper belongs to the order of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. It's very disturbing. 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.. Trust shouldnt be broken like that., Others, such as Kevin Kearns, whose son had gone to the school, said the nun had put the students and parents above everything else., The church tells us to forgive those who have trespassed against us, Kearns said. The account was opened in 1997 but had not been used in years, until Sister Mary Margaret started diverting checks into the forgotten account. Sister Mary Margaret was making bank (very illegally) through laundering and threw everyone off of the scent by reminding them of her vow of poverty. She just enjoyed gambling, he said. It is "telling," in these cases, he says, that the "teachers did not even have to be Catholic to have these jobs.". After taking a vow of poverty, her excuse for lavish gambling expenses is hilarious. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet confirm that today the judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles has sentenced our Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, CSJ to one year and one day in federal prison followed by two years' supervised release. She would endorse the checks with a stamp saying St. While claiming to live financially destitute like Jesus Christ is probably blasphemous, using the old Im poor, but my uncle is rich line and getting away with it speaks to Sister Mary Margarets impressive poker face. You can be proud of that, he said. Southern California authorities have revealed two nuns allegedly embezzling up to $500K which was parlayed into gambling jaunts in Las Vegas. She admitted to taking a total of $835,000 in donations from the elementary school, and faces up to 40 years in federal prison. It's just that you have to look and see what kind of function are they doing.". Kreuper also admitted to falsifying monthly and annual reports to the school administration in an effort to cover up the embezzlement. At least I hope you do.. Kreuper stole the funds over the course of ten years, ending in 2018. My actions were in violation of my vows, my commandments, the law and, above all, the sacred trust that so many had placed in me. 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. An old unused bank account was the giveaway. For years, St. James parents were told that the school was cash-strapped and unable to upgrade textbooks that were 20 years old, fund field trips or simply install an awning for the outdoor lunch area. Of course, at 79, the likelihood that Sister Mary Margaret will see any jail time is relatively slim. Prosecutors say the nun also ordered school employees to alter and destroy financial records during the audit. The school soon had a change of heart following pushback. The nuns order says the woman are cooperating and intend to pay all of the money back in full. Bank records show Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang had been embezzling funds from St. James Catholic School in Torrance for at least a decade, the Press-Telegram reported. Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. Similar articles were published by the Los Angeles Times, KTLA, and Unilad.co.uk. Sister Lana Chang, a vice principal who was initially implicated in the scheme, was not charged. These nuns took a vow of poverty and said, Oh no, weve got a rich uncle, parent Jack Alexander said. As headteacher at St James Catholic School, which she ran for 28 years, she "controlled accounts at a credit union, including a savings account for the school and one established to pay the living expenses of the nuns employed by the school", prosecutors said. A spokesperson for the order confirmed for Snopes that, as of June 9, 2021, Kreuper was still a member of the Los Angeles congregation, but the restrictions against her remained in place, and she was no longer involved in any public ministry. Mary Margaret Kreuper (Image source: KTTV-TV video screenshot). To know that she had been taking money from my parents and my peers parents the whole time I was there is extremely shocking, and it sways me away from the Catholic Church, Garunkstis said. At Monday's argument, Stanford law professor Jeff Fisher, who is representing the teachers, will tell the justices that by the terms of the teachers' contracts and the school handbooks, these teachers were hired to teach academic subjects. "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 pair said in a joint statement. Kumar said the nuns instruction to the auditors sparked suspicion, and they reported the incident to Msgr. 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. The scheme was uncovered during an audit after Kreuper retired in 2018. She faces up to 40 years in federal prison, but is claiming mental illness. Kreuper did not recognize she had a gambling problem until she was accused of embezzling more than $835,000 from the school, Byrne said. The second suit was brought by Kristen Biel against St. James School in Torrance. Along with her sentence, she was ordered to pay $825,338 in restitution. Its an explanation.. "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.". As principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, she certainly did but while also embezzling more than $835,000 in funds to support her secretive gambling habit. The scheme was uncovered during an audit after Kreuper retired in 2018. Officials pointed out that Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty as a nun. Her husband, Darryl Biel, remembers that day vividly. She wanted more than she had.. I wanted to see them. The sisters, described as best friends, both retired earlier this year. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. 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. She spent the next 59 years of her life dedicated to the church, they said. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged Tuesday with wire fraud and money laundering for ripping off St. James Catholic School for a period of 10 years ending in September 2018, according to . According to Newstalk.com, the school indicated in a letter to parents at the time that they did not want to pursue criminal charges against the duo, after they both expressed "desire and inten[t] to make complete restitution to St. James School.". Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were in the clear. James School, before tapping the funds for personal use. 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. All they needed to do was get through the school year. Dan Mac Guill is a former writer for Snopes. She is expected to report to prison by June, Byrne said, and will be released in 2023. The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation into the allegations against Kreuper. In her plea agreement, Sister Mary Margaret confirmed that the stolen money was used for credit card charges and large gambling expenses incurred at casinos. the U.S. attorneys office said. Kreuper was in charge of the schools credit union account, where she was meant to deposit cash and checks from tuition, fees and donations. But as the archdiocese was completing its audit, it noticed something was off with the funding. The Archdiocese appears to have now changed course-with ABC Newsreporting a criminal case may now be in the works following deepening investigations. St.James Catholic School caught embezzling $500K for personal use, including gambling as church declines to press charges. BroBible is the #1 place on the internet for the very best content from the worlds of sports, culture, gear, high tech, and more. Her husband said that in her final days, the couple talked extensively about the case. But when it came to the vow of poverty, the Southern California nun struggled to maintain her promise to the Catholic Church because of a gambling addiction that was out of control for a decade. This was a manifestation of greed, Kumar said, adding that the nun had abused the trust of the community. Apparently, the Vegas trips were common knowledge, but the nuns explained that the gambling excursions were gifts from a rich uncle. Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were both Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true; We use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and to offer you a better experience. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, who worked as the school principal for 28 years, and Sister Lana Chang, a teacher at the school for 20 years, reportedly bilked the funds over a period of at least a decade, the Press-Telegram reported. The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. 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.. A spokesperson with St. James did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. 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". 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79,of Los Angeles, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday for defraudingSt. James Catholic Schoolover a period of 10 years. Each of the counts carries a maximum sentence of 40 years behind bars. When first confronted, Mr Kumar said, the nun claimed she "did it in part because she believes priests get paid better than nuns". Make sure you see our stories daily directly to your inbox. She really didnt stay true to it at all, actually. 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. 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. })(); 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. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79,of Los Angeles, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, She defrauded St. James Catholic Schoolover a period of 10 years, As principal, Kreuper had been in charge of the school's credit union account, where she was meant to deposit cash and checks from tuition, fees and donations, Also implicated in the scheme was Lana Chang, who worked as a teacher at St. James before becoming vice principal, Nun, 79, STOLE $835,000 from Catholic school over 10 years to fund her gambling trips, Teenage boy shot friend, 15, in face with his grandad's shotgun after 'being repeatedly humiliated and bullied by him', Apple pie could be CANCELED after writer links treat to genocide and cultural appropriation, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have 'done nothing but seek publicity' since leaving UK, former Palace aide claims, Woman, 21, records terrifying moment Uber driver relentlessly pesters her for sex despite her telling him 'no', Inside Bidens 30million G7 ring of steel with warships, The Beast & 400 Secret Service agents watching his every move, Murder probe scuppered after alligator makes off with dead body found floating in river, JBSA Lackland put on lockdown after shooting outside Air Force base in San Antonio. I don't drink coffee, I wake up jacked. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, was sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay $825,338 in restitution. Police will still present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office, NBC reported. The Torrancepair used the money for vacations and gambling at the casino while telling parents that the school was on a tight budget. "Millions of people across the country who never thought or understood themselves to be leaders of the faith" would now "magically have no employment protections," he says. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, who took a vow of poverty, begged a judge to show her mercy and spare her prison, saying: "I have sinned, I've broken the law and I have no excuses." She called her crimes a "violation of my vows, my commandments, the law and, above all, the sacred trust that so many had placed in me". His wife, he said, drove into their driveway "in tears bawling hysterically. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. 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.. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, who was principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used the school funds to . One article quoted a church accountant as ball-parking the amount at $500,000. Local 10 News reported Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang of St.James Catholic School (both retiring earlier this year) using money from the school's funds to live a life of luxury over the last ten years. 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. Mary Kreuper: Nun who stole $835,000 to fund gambling habit admits 'I have sinned', Sister Mary Kreuper embezzled more than 600,000 from the school where she worked. He added, Its not meant as an excuse. Kreuper signed the plea agreement, which Snopes has obtained and which can be read in full here, on June 2, 2021. As a Catholic nun, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, admitted stealing the money from St James Catholic School in the L.A. suburb of Torrance, where she was school principal for nearly 30 years. Two nuns who formerly worked at St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, confessed to embezzling at least $500,000 from the school so that they could gamble it away at Las Vegas casinos, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said at a meeting with parents and alumni on Monday. She called her crimes a "violation of my vows, my commandments, the law and, above all, the sacred trust that so many had placed in me". The first teacher, Agnes Morrissey-Berru, claimed her employment contract was not renewed after 16 years service because of illegal age discrimination. 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. At the sentencing hearing, those who spoke were split on their feelings toward the nun and what she had done. G7 summit - Biden brings 1.2m Cadillac The Beast but will it fit down Cornwalls tiny country lanes. 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. 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.. "She's 80. It involves two fifth-grade teachers at Catholic schools in California. 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering after she admitted to investigators that she embezzled hundreds of thousands of. 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. Prosecutors said that she had also instructed school employees to alter and destroy financial records. They and their Order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school. She is looking forward to getting on with life and will get treatment for her gambling addiction, he said. His findings unraveled the entire scheme and, eventually, federal charges were levied against Sister Mary Margaret. By Megan Carpentier. Jon Jones Reacts To Islam Makhachev Declaring Himself The Best Fighter In The World, Shavkat Rakhmonov Reacts To ESPN/UFC Commentator Laura Sanko Thirsting Over Him In Viral Video, Jon Jones First Shirtless Pic At Heavyweight Before UFC 285 Goes Viral, Ja Morants Lawyer, Agent Threaten Legal Recourse For Defamatory Report From The Washington Post, Another Glitch In The Matrix Has Occurred As A Bird Is Filmed Motionless In Mid-Air, Bengals Exec Sends Harsh Wake-Up Call To Teams Sniffing Around Tee Higgins. Sister Mary Margaret was caught in 2018. He argued that while the money she stole might have affected the schools funding, her actions didnt decrease the quality of education students received at St. James. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. On. The DOJ noted that Kreuper had diverted the school funds to pay for expenses that the order [of nuns] would not have approved. Among the expenses Kreuper accrued were those from casinos and credit card charges. (RELATED: Nuns Allegedly Stole Catholic School Funds For Years: Report). "Far from it. The 79-year-old former nun pleaded guilty to federal charges for stealing more than $800,000 from St. James Catholic School earlier this month. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison, months after she admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from St. James Catholic School in Torrance . Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. Cooperating and intend to pay all of the Sisters of St. James school before... Doing. `` 825,338 in restitution was a manifestation of greed, kumar said, adding that gambling! Because of illegal age discrimination any jail time is relatively slim operation, per Daily. Weve got a rich uncle, parent Jack Alexander said Los Angeles, pleaded in. Catholic church school in Torrance gambling expenses is hilarious July 1 ten years, ending in 2018 belongs to church... 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