Associate Editor at BroBible covering all five major sports and every niche sport imaginable, found primarily in the college space. 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. 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. When first confronted, Mr Kumar said, the nun claimed she "did it in part because she believes priests get paid better than nuns". Prosecutors said that she had also instructed school employees to alter and destroy financial records. "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. 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. 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. 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. By that math, Sister Mary Margaret was only 66 when the behavior began. James Convent instead of St. Rather, he said, she is religiously trained and a commissioned minister of the church. 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. Despite the ongoing thefts, financial statements revealed the church continuing to operate in the black as the two sisters clandestinely plowed through church funds. Parents said the two nuns were big on moral. The exception extends to religiously affiliated institutions when they fire employees who serve in a religious capacity akin to that of a minister. James School, before tapping the funds for personal use. Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. We do know that they had a pattern of going on trips, we do know they had a pattern of going to casinos, and the reality is, they used the account as their personal account, Marge Graf, an attorney representing St. James, told a group of parents at a meeting in 2018. The scheme was uncovered during an audit after Kreuper retired in 2018. An elderly nun who pleaded guilty to embezzling from a Catholic school to fund her own gambling trips has been sentenced to a year in federal prison. 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. "I have sinned," Sister Mary told a US . 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. Kreuper falsified monthly and annual reports to cover up her crime and asked school employees to alter and destroy financial records during an audit. 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. Kreuper, he said, quoting an expert, was addicted to gambling, adding that it "is not an excuse for what she did merely an explanation". Sister Lana Chang, a vice principal who was initially implicated in the scheme, was not charged. 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. For more information about our use of cookies, our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information generally, and any rights you may have to access, delete, or opt out of the sale of your personal information, please view our Privacy Policy. Kreuper as the schools principal, handled all tuition payments, with the sister depositing checks into a separate account that she and Chang had access to. 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admits to stealing over $835k from a Catholic School. Mary Margaret Kreuper (Image source: KTTV-TV video screenshot). Church officials said they did not wish to press charges against the sisters, who both expressed remorse. She also controlled two savings accounts, one for the school and one for the nuns living expenses. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, the retired principal of St. James Catholic School in California, has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison on charges of money laundering and federal wire. It's very disturbing. 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. The rich uncle was the parents of the St. James students.. A Los Angeles nun jailed for stealing more than $800,000 to fund a gambling habit has admitted "I have sinned". Its an explanation.. She just enjoyed gambling, he said. })(); 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. This time the question is whether lay teachers at parochial schools are exempt from the nation's fair employment laws. For decades, lower courts have recognized an exception to the nation's employment laws for ministers. She spent the next 59 years of her life dedicated to the church, they said. In these records you will find the most recent and the most authoritative articles on the topics, people and events that are shaping the . Were those functions to be considered ministerial, Fisher says, the results would be dire. 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 the principal and had been colluding with longtime teacher Sister Lana Chang on the operation, per the Daily Breeze. "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.". It wasnt until the house of cards came crashing down that she realized what she had done and started to go therapy, where she realized this addiction was a contributing factor. All they needed to do was get through the school year. 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. This material may not be reproduced without permission. We've received your submission. A federal appeals court ruled against the schools, which appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Kreuper pleaded guilty last July. Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. 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". Officials made the discovery in June after performing a routine audit following Kreupers retirement. Her attorney said Kreuper will be on supervised release for two years once her prison sentence is complete. When staff members finally found the check, they realized that it was not deposited in a St. James account, but a different bank account. 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. She betrayed the trust of people in the community, the parents, students, the archdiocese and the sisters. "Far from it. One parent told the outlet of the situation: "It's crazy. Her husband, Darryl Biel, remembers that day vividly. When the fraudulent behavior first came to light, the order was deeply disappointed and offered to repay the lost funds only believed to be $500,000 at the time. 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. The Greatest Food Debates Of All Time, Answered Pineapple On Pizza? But Fisher notes that the schools in these cases do not claim any religious reason for firing the teachers. 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.. 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 used tuition fees and donations to a California Catholic school to subsidize her casino expenses. By Colin Groundwater June 9, 2021 Two summers ago, Sean Flynn reported a wild story for GQ about two very. A Los Angeles nun recently pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $800,000. Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were in the clear. Her husband, Darryl Biel, remembers that day vividly. znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr); 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. 66 is still a fairly competent age. When this was going on, she was not nearly as old. 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. Claiming mental illness at her age is a play for probation or the ability to serve her sentence at home. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. His wife, he said, drove into their driveway "in tears bawling hysterically. Her husband said that in her final days, the couple talked extensively about the case. St. James teacher Lana Chang admitted along with Kreuper to the embezzlement in 2018, following each of their retirements earlier that year. "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. "She's 80. By Megan Carpentier. 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 . She was so hurt that they could be doing this to her.". 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. The judges sentencing came as detractors and supporters showed up over Zoom to testify against or pledge their support for Kreuper, who had been a nun for 62 years. 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. 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. St.James Catholic School caught embezzling $500K for personal use, including gambling as church declines to press charges. It's just that you have to look and see what kind of function are they doing.". During the time period this was happening, she had no idea this was happening. Monday's case, however, does not involve trained and ordained ministers of the faith. Kreuper stole the funds over the course of ten years, ending in 2018. G7 summit - Biden brings 1.2m Cadillac The Beast but will it fit down Cornwalls tiny country lanes. In a statement to The Washington Post, Kreupers lawyers said she is very remorseful and sorry for any harm she has caused. The Archdiocese appears to have now changed course-with ABC Newsreporting a criminal case may now be in the works following deepening investigations. (deployads = window.deployads || []).push({}); (function() { But, Fisher counters, that "this isn't something you measure with a stopwatch." But the court's eventual decision could reach beyond teachers, affecting the lives of millions of other employees who work for religiously affiliated institutions. Dan Mac Guill is a former writer for Snopes. Along with her sentence, she was ordered to pay $825,338 in restitution. "These teachers taught the Catholic faith to these kids more than the parish priest," putting them squarely within the so-called ministerial exception, he says. The school soon had a change of heart following pushback. All rights reserved. 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. Meyers reported it to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who hired their own auditor. But as the archdiocese was completing its audit, it noticed something was off with the funding. The 80-year-old nun pleaded for mercy after stealing $835,339 from an elementary Catholic school to fund her gambling addiction.. "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=47402'; 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. 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, 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, who was principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used the school funds to . The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006. The principal allegedly withheld some of the checks and deposited them into the other account, endorsing the back with a stamp that read, St. An old unused bank account was the giveaway. 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.. However, the church chose not to press charges against the two nuns. Kreuper was 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, her lawyers told the Post. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Maybe if she had used her poker face to see more success in Vegas, she wouldnt have been in this position to begin with. In June 2021, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted to embezzling $835,000 from the Catholic school where she served as principal for 28 years. She became principal at St. James Catholic School, about 20 miles outside downtown Los Angeles, in 1990. 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. Eric Rassbach of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who is representing the schools before the court, disagrees. The embezzlement helped to fuel her gambling habit. 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. It was only after she vacated her position that school officials unearthed her fraudulent scheme. The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation into the allegations against Kreuper. 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