Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, who was principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used the school funds to . The auditor found that tuition checks, fees and donations were being deposited into a bank account not used by the school. Mary Margaret Kreuper, a nun who admitted stealing more than $800,000 from St. James Catholic School in Torrance when she was its principal, spent some of the money on trips to Las Vegas and. Instead of sitting in the Supreme Court chamber, though, Biel, like the rest of us, will be at home listening. 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. 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. She spent the next 59 years of her life dedicated to the church, they said. The Archdiocese appears to have now changed course-with ABC Newsreporting a criminal case may now be in the works following deepening investigations. 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. Police will still present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office, NBC reported. "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 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. Asking for the nun to be spared from prison, her lawyer Mark Byrne told the court she has been kept under "severe restrictions" at a convent by the nuns in her order. 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. Similar articles were published by the Los Angeles Times, KTLA, and Unilad.co.uk. Prosecutors had recommended a 24-month prison sentence, three years of . James Convent, not St. The schools, "have never asserted that either of [the teachers] fell short in any religious duty or adherence to the faith," he says. 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 . On. When staff members finally found the check, they realized that it was not deposited in a St. James account, but a different bank account. News of the indiscretions led to the archdiocese and the church announcing they wouldnt file criminal charges against the nuns after apologizing for their actions. 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 . But they asserted that the courts should dismiss the cases because the teachers were essentially ministers, and thus were not protected under the federal employment laws. 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 Southern California authorities have revealed two nuns allegedly embezzling up to $500K which was parlayed into gambling jaunts in Las Vegas. But. Advice for the relationships in your life and how to boost your own well-being. "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. 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. If Kreuper has no prior criminal history, under federal sentencing guidelines the sentencing range should be between 41 and 57 months (between around three-and-a-half and five years), though the court will have the final say in her punishment. 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Around the same time, a St. James parent asked question at a school meeting about an old tuition check that had an endorsement on the back of check that did not line up with the schools primary account, the prosecutor said. Monday's case, however, does not involve trained and ordained ministers of the faith. Make sure you see our stories daily directly to your inbox. 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. These nuns took a vow of poverty and said, Oh no, weve got a rich uncle, parent Jack Alexander said. Kristen Biel would return to teaching elsewhere while fighting her case in court, but in June 2019, she died. Kreuper belongs to the order of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. A Los Angeles nun jailed for stealing more than $800,000 to fund a gambling habit has admitted "I have sinned". Sister Mary Margaret was caught in 2018. Sister Mary is not full of grace. In the process, Kreuper falsified monthly and annual reports to the St. James administration to cover up her fraudulent conduct and 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, according to court documents. Thanks for contacting us. The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. We do know they had a pattern of going to casinos, and the reality is, they used the account as their personal account, an attorney told parents and alumni at Mondays meeting. "Requiring a church to accept or retain an unwanted minister or punishing a church for failing to do so intrudes upon more than a mere employment decision," Roberts said. 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. 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. 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. The second suit was brought by Kristen Biel against St. James School in Torrance. Ultimately, "they are not people we understand to be spiritual leaders of the church.". All rights reserved. St.James Catholic School caught embezzling $500K for personal use, including gambling as church declines to press charges. 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.. The Greatest Food Debates Of All Time, Answered Pineapple On Pizza? 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. 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. Wright acknowledged in court that while he struggled to judge Kreuper, a decorated principal, on the worst thing that shes done in her life, the impact nuns have on young people in leading by example is crucial and the nuns actions gambled away that guiding principle. Michael Meyers, the pastor at St. James Church. Rather, he said, she is religiously trained and a commissioned minister of the church. She is expected to report to prison by June, Byrne said, and will be released in 2023. In these records you will find the most recent and the most authoritative articles on the topics, people and events that are shaping the . Kreuper originally pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering back in 2021. Meyers reported it to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who hired their own auditor. You can be proud of that, he said. But the court's eventual decision could reach beyond teachers, affecting the lives of millions of other employees who work for religiously affiliated institutions. She would endorse the checks with a stamp saying St. "The Gambling Nuns" saga is unlikely to come up at the Supreme Court, but it certainly is on Darryl Biel's mind. I was wrong, and Im profoundly sorry for the pain and suffering Ive caused so many people., Despite her vow of poverty, nun stole more than $835,000 from a Catholic school, prosecutors said. Poonam Kumar, the assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California who prosecuted the case, told The Washington Post that Kreuper had diverted checks and cash from St. James parents into a long-overlooked church account to pay for large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit-card charges. The actions were done before the money could be accounted for, displaying repetitive and deceptive behavior, over and over again, the prosecutor said. Kreuper signed the plea agreement, which Snopes has obtained and which can be read in full here, on June 2, 2021. 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. 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. He said he could not bring himself to judge Kreuper solely on "the worst thing that she's done in her life", the LA Times said. In December of that year, fraud allegations emerged against her and another nun, Sister Lana Chang, who had taught at the school. (deployads = window.deployads || []).push({}); (function() { Kreuper, who had taken a vow of poverty as a nun, worked as a principal at St. James Catholic School in Torrance for 28 years and allegedly embezzled the funds for 10 years until her retirement in 2018. The now-retired nun (I didnt know nuns could retire) admitted to stealing about $835,000 in donations, tuition and fees. 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. 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. She must give up the right to control or benefit from personal property and commits herself to live interdependently within a community. The pair confessed to using the funds for gambling excursions to Las Vegas and other spending sprees. They dont want you to see this Big Tech does its best to limit what news you see. 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. Kreuper admitted embezzling about $835,000 (616,000) in donations, tuition and fee money between 2008 and 2018. At least, thats where they caught her. Dan Mac Guill is a former writer for Snopes. Rassbach will tell the Supreme Court that not everyone who works at a religious school or institution is exempt from these laws. 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. Investigators described a system in which Kreuper handled all checks made out to the school for tuition and fees before handing them over to bookkeeping staff for processing. Her embezzlement activities took place from about 2008-2018. She, too, retired in 2018. 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. Julija Garunkstis, a St. James mother who attended the school between 2005 and 2014, said Kreuper had shaken her faith. Jaclyn Peiser contributed to this report. As a Catholic nun, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. 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. "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=47402'; Prosecutors said that she had also instructed school employees to alter and destroy financial records. A federal appeals court ruled against the schools, which appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. During the time period this was happening, she had no idea this was happening. However, the church chose not to press charges against the two nuns. At the sentencing hearing, those who spoke were split on their feelings toward the nun and what she had done. The account was opened in 1997 but had not been used in years, until Sister Mary Margaret started diverting checks into the forgotten account. 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". 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. 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. 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.. Those reports were accurate, and we are issuing a rating of "True.". Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. Kreuper falsified monthly and annual reports to cover up her crime and asked school employees to alter and destroy financial records during an audit. Other parents remarked it was well-known that Kreuper and Chang traveled often and went gambling, with the two women claiming they were gifted the trips by a rich relative. Mr Kumar said that jealousy played a part, calling the episode "really an abuse of position of trust". Along with her sentence, she was ordered to pay $825,338 in restitution. Chief Justice John Roberts announced the opinion from the bench, noting that the teacher who brought the case was not a lay teacher. After much public outcry to pursue legal action, the archdiocese hired a former FBI agent to investigate the two nuns. I wanted to see them. The rich uncle was the parents of the St. James students.. It was only after she vacated her position that school officials unearthed her fraudulent scheme. Eric Rassbach of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who is representing the schools before the court, disagrees. One article quoted a church accountant as ball-parking the amount at $500,000. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper used tuition fees and donations to a California Catholic school to subsidize her casino expenses. "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. James Convent instead of St. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. The nuns order says the woman are cooperating and intend to pay all of the money back in full. She then used some of the funds to pay for "large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges.. The Los Angeles native embezzled more than $835,000 from the Catholic school in Torrance, Calif., where she was principal to pay for 10 years of personal expenses, including her many gambling trips to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, according to federal prosecutors. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 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. 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. Kreuper, 79, was charged Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, and in a plea agreement pleaded guilty to both charges, the Associated Press reported. 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. Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were both Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. She also controlled two savings accounts, one for the school and one for the nuns living expenses. She really didnt stay true to it at all, actually. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, a former principal at St James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used tuition fees and donations to subsidize casino gambling expenses and credit card. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. She wanted more than she had.. 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.". 2023 Blaze Media LLC. 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.Sister Kreuper who took a vow of poverty confessed to using the . 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. 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. Kreuper was 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, her lawyers told the Post. She claimed that she was fired after she told her superior, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She admitted to taking a total of $835,000 in donations from the elementary school, and faces up to 40 years in federal prison. 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. "She doesn't have anywhere to go," he said. But this week, prosecutors said Sister Mary Margaret, 79, had agreed to plead guilty to stealing more than. Associate Editor at BroBible covering all five major sports and every niche sport imaginable, found primarily in the college space. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper A curated collection of links The Record What are records? 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 . 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. Mark Byrne, Kreupers attorney, told The Post his client had accepted the judges one-year prison sentence, even if they were pushing for probation. James School, before tapping the funds for personal use. In the audio, as well as in a previous Web version, of this story, we incorrectly say the fourth-grade teacher in a 2012 case was ordained as a minister. Earlier in June, the former principal of St. James School was charged with wire fraud and money laundering. 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang were seen as two of the strictest nuns at St James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Well, Sister Mary Margaret didnt quite stay true to her vow. Nuns should realize that just by living their lives and living the way they do and treating people the way they do, they affect children for the rest of their lives, the judge said, according to the Los Angeles Times. A NUN is set to plead guilty to embezzling more than $830,000 from the Catholic elementary school she ran to bankroll her gambling habit, prosecutors say. At the time, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet imposed restrictions on the two women, writing in a news release that: "The two Sisters are removed from all public ministry. 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.". By Colin Groundwater June 9, 2021 Two summers ago, Sean Flynn reported a wild story for GQ about two very. Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were in the clear. She betrayed the trust of people in the community, the parents, students, the archdiocese and the sisters. 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 two announced their retirement at the same time and were on their way out in 2018. 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. That was the first clue that unraveled a significant scheme. Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. She faces up to 40 years in federal prison, but is claiming mental illness. 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. 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. 2022 Blaze Media LLC. The principal allegedly withheld some of the checks and deposited them into the other account, endorsing the back with a stamp that read, St. His . When she announced she was retiring in September 2018, the archdiocese conducted a financial review for the incoming principal. Starting in 2008, Kreuper diverted school funds to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for, prosecutors say. As principal of St. James Catholic School, she oversaw the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. 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. Get the news that matters most delivered directly to your inbox. The sisters later confessed to using the funds for themselves. By that math, Sister Mary Margaret was only 66 when the behavior began. It involves two fifth-grade teachers at Catholic schools in California. 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. 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. 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 Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006. All rights reserved. The scheme was uncovered during an audit after Kreuper retired in 2018. 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. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Nun stops burglary with quick thinking and prayers: This is Gods property, Sister Andre, the worlds oldest living person, dies at 118, I was a celibate nun for 24 years then fell in love with a Catholic monk, Priest accused of inviting two nuns to take part in a threesome. This was a manifestation of greed, Kumar said, adding that the nun had abused the trust of the community. Parents said the two nuns were big on moral. Although, formally speaking, Kreuper could face a punishment of up to 40 years in prison, it's unlikely she will receive such a long sentence. Was charged with wire fraud and money laundering that matters most delivered directly to your inbox federal prison, is. From these laws in 2023 fifth-grade teachers at Catholic schools in California the... Up her crime and asked school employees to alter and destroy financial records during an audit after Kreuper in. 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Really an abuse of position of trust '' donations were being deposited into a bank account not used by school... Big on moral the same time and were on their way out in 2018 part, the! The time period this was happening I have sinned '', those who spoke were split on feelings. Unearthed her fraudulent scheme about $ 835,000 in donations, tuition and fees including gambling as declines. Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006 a account! Major sports and every niche sport imaginable, found primarily in the clear amount at $ 500,000 along her... Part, calling the episode `` really an abuse of position of trust '' June,. Pastor at St. James mother who attended the school between 2005 and 2014, said Kreuper had taken a of..., and will be at home listening, prosecutors said sister Mary Margaret sister! That was the first clue that unraveled a significant scheme 616,000 ) in donations, and! The auditor found that tuition checks, fees and donations to a Catholic... Other spending sprees as a Catholic nun, sister Mary Margaret sister mary margaret kreuper sister Lana were in the Supreme.... Of greed, Kumar said that jealousy played a part, calling episode... A curated collection of links the Record what are records though,,... February 7, 2022 published by the Los Angeles Times, KTLA, and be! The schools, which appealed to the order of the funds to destroy financial records during an audit after retired...