pg.acq.push(function() { Kreupers attorneys Mark A. Byrne and Daniel V. Nixon told The Washington Post that the nun took responsibility for her actions right after she was confronted by the L.A. archdiocese. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Kreuper, who had taken a vow of poverty, admitted in the plea agreement to diverting school funds into the St. James Convent account and the St. James savings account and then using the diverted funds "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for, including large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges. } My son got the best education possible, in fact, I probably wouldve paid double the tuition rate in order for my son to attend St. James.. } Kreuper was sentenced to one year in prison Monday and told to pay back the money. ", She also admitted in the plea agreement to falsifying monthly and annual reports to the school's administration to cover up the fraudulent conduct and "lulled St. James School and the Administration into believing that the school's 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 school's finances and accounts and, thus, continue operating the fraudulent scheme.". Documents state, 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.. 'I have sinned, I've broken the law and I . Wright also said that as someone who had been educated by nuns, "unlike most cases, this one will be a struggle.". Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, will plead guilty on July 22 to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. . She pleaded guilty last July . 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Prosecutors had recommended a 24-month prison sentence, three years of. Bannon along with Philip Esformes, 52, a businessman from Florida, who was sentenced for orchestrating a $1B Medicare fraud scheme, spent New Year's Eve as a free man They were part of Trump's long list of pardons and commutations granted to more than 200 convicts in the final days of his presidency. The systems that were set up were dividing people, so nobody knew what was happening, he said at the meeting. pg.acq.push(function() { In their letters [to the court], several students and parents commented on how the school was lacking in resourcesAnother parent discussed [in a letter to the court] how [Kreuper] said there was no money for an awning at school and no money for field trips.. Following Mondays hearing Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was released under her own recognizance and is required to turn herself in to the Federal Bureau of Prisons by June 7, 2022. The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the Torrance Police Department, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation. She is very sorry for any harm she has caused.". Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, who took a vow of poverty, begged a judge to show . Las hermanas Mary Margaret Kreuper (exdirectora) y Lana Chang (exprofesora) hurtaron dinero procedente de las matrculas, las cuotas y donaciones de la escuela catlica St. James de Torrance She must also pay $825,338 in restitution, covering most of the losses of $835,339 from St. James Catholic School in the Arlington Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. A Los Angeles nun jailed for stealing more than $800,000 to fund a gambling habit has admitted "I have sinned". "We. When an audit threatened to expose the scheme, Kreuper instructed St. James employees to destroy documents. Copyright 2023 by City News Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved. California nun, 79, to admit to stealing $835K from school funds. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. When confronted by the Archdiocese, she said "her actions were justified because priests were paid more than nuns," the site reported. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, entered her plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. ga('ads.send', { window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { READ ALSO | 2 nuns accused of embezzling 'substantial' amount from Catholic school in Torrance. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. Official websites use .gov Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted to stealing the money from 2008 to 2018 while she was principal at St. James Catholic School in the LA suburb of Torrance. },false) The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are a congregation of Catholic sisters. gads_event = event; Ciaran McEvoy let gads_event; The 80-year old nun was ordered to pay $825,338.57 she embezzled while principal at St. James in Torrance, CA and spent gambling in Las Vegas. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, was sentenced to one year and one day for fraud and money laundering. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was just 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Kreuper has paid back $10,000 of what she owes, according to The Long Beach Press-Telegram. The Sisters of St. Joseph both desire and intend to make complete restitution to St. James School. Despite her vow of poverty, a California nun embezzled funds from the Roman Catholic school she ran in order to fund her gambling habit, according to federal prosecutors. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { At the prosecutors request, the judge later lowered the amount by $10,000 to account for what she has already repaid. Despite her nun's vow of poverty . ga('ads.send', { A nun who stole $835,000 from the Catholic primary school where she served as principal for 28 years, was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison. Explore the variety of ways to be a part of our community. Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, who belong to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, are suspected of embezzling a "substantial" amount of money from a Catholic school in. She doesnt have any money. She admitted that she had caused losses amounting to $835,000 to St James Catholic School. The lawyers also mentioned that the nun was suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgment and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done. They noted that she was remorseful and very sorry for any harm she has caused., Attorney Kumar also shared that during her confrontation Kreuper mentioned that she embezzled money partly because she believed priests get paid better than nuns.. They both retired at the end of this past school year, shortly before St. James Catholic Church in Redondo Beach was made aware of the alleged embezzlement happening at its school. Most of the funds she blew on gambling trips to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe with. Prosecutors also said that Kreuper directed St. James School staff to alter and destroy financial records during an audit, and caused total losses of $835,339. 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 fraud for embezzling nearly $835,000 from school funds. }); A Los Angeles nun and school principal who stole more than $800,000 to pay for a gambling habit was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison. }); The school became aware of the alleged embezzlement in a routine audit when one of the nuns retired as the school's principal. 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, she said. Nuns stole over $500,000 from struggling Catholic school to fund trips and gambling habit, FBI recovers over $2M out of $4.4M ransom paid to Colonial Pipeline hackers. In July, she pleaded guilty to one count each of. As part of her efforts to suppress everything, she got school employees to change and destroy financial records during a school audit. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, admitted stealing $835,000 while principal of an LA-area school. These also include her gambling trips, revealed federal prosecutors. I was wrong, and I am profoundly sorry for the pain and the suffering that I have caused so many people, she told Wright. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. Please logout and login again. You can be proud of that, he said. The charges carry up to 40 years . An official website of the United States government. Auditors at the meeting said that checks made out to the school for tuition and other fees first went to Kreuper before being handed over to the bookkeeping staff. Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. But it doesnt mean hes a criminal, Rain check! '', Riverside DA, DEA official call for CA crackdown on fentanyl dealers, Marijuana grow facility erupts in flames inside Willowbrook building, SoCal woman details encounter with alleged jewelry thief. She was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance for 28 years. Prosecutors told the judge Kreuper deserved prison time for stealing parents checks to the school over and over and over again for a decade, then ordering staff to destroy records in a coverup. Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted to taking the money from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, over a period of 10 years, ending in September 2018. A bookkeeper who knew about the nuns' scheme voluntarily took a leave of absence during the investigation, Michael Meyers, the churchs monsignor, said during the meeting, according to the Press-Telegram. These funds were intended to further the students education, not fund [Kreupers] lifestyle. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday and has agreed to a plea deal for allegedly embezzling $835,000 while she was the. Prosecutors told the judge at her sentencing that Kreuper "stole the equivalent of the tuition of 14 different students per year during the 10 years of her embezzlement scheme. The now-retired nun, Mary Margaret Kreuper,. The nun admitted to her crimes shortly after she was indicted. He previously covered state and national politics, including the 2020 presidential campaign. Parent and former school secretaryCheryl Hugo reportedly called Kreupers actions an abuse of power in every possible way.. A. The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this matter. When the Archdiocese of Los Angeles first confronted Kreuper about her misconduct, she argued that priests are better paid than nuns, and said she believed she deserved a raise, according to the government. The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. JudgeOtis D. Wright II, however, said that the majority of letters to the court from people like coworkers, church leaders, parents, and former students pushed for a lighter sentence. ", Baby Mia Jade Riley: Parents Lani and Tom Riley speak out after dog attack killed their 5-week-old infant, Kyle Sambrook: Hiker falls 100ft to death while carrying his dog in one hand through 'appalling' weather, Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in, Julia Faustyna: 21-yr-old girl who claims to be Madeleine McCann admits to making 'pornographic videos' in past, Killer mom Lindsay Clancy was suffering from drug withdrawal and had 'worst side effects,' says friend. June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ },false) reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. eventAction: 'view' Though the statutory maximum on those two charges was 40 years, prosecutors asked that she serve two, according to Courthouse News, and the judge in the case sentenced the senior citizen to just 12 months. Kreuper, as a nun, had taken a vow of poverty and diverted school funds into the St. James Convent Account and the St. James Savings Account. "Unfortunately, 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. eventAction: 'load' In her plea agreement, they noted that she used the money "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for, including large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges. Mary Margaret Kreuper had been principal at St. James Catholic School, where Sr. Lana Chang had been a teacher. As far as parent Kevin Kearnswas concerned, there were no hard feelings about the embezzlement. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. But Phil Rhilinger, who with his wife, Debby, sent five kids to St. James, called on Wright to impose the maximum sentence up to 20 years for each of the two crimes. 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. I havent slept well in God knows how long, Wright told a Zoom hearing audience, rejecting prosecutors call for a two-year term and saying he could not bring himself to judge Kreuper solely on the worst thing that shes done in her life.. 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. }); ciaran.mcevoy@usdoj.gov Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. was part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet order, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. "The Sisters have confirmed the misappropriation of funds and have cooperated in the investigation. U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Environmental Crimes and Community Safety, Nun Who Embezzled Tuition Money from Torrance Catholic Elementary School Sentenced to One Year in Federal Prison, CEO of Nevada-Based Publicly Traded Health Care Company Charged with Federal Crimes for Alleged Insider Trading Scheme, Carson Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Role in International Conspiracy to Launder Money Taken from Fraud Victims, Former MoviePass Executive Arrested on Indictment Alleging He Embezzled $260,000 from Employer to Repay Coachella Debt, Nun Who Embezzled Tuition Money From Torrance Catholic Elementary School Sentenced To One Year In Federal Prison. SisterMary Margaret Kreuper, 80, was sentenced on Monday to 12 months and one day in federal prison byU.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II and ordered to pay$825,338 in restitution to theSt. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, according to a press release from theU.S. Attorneys Office in the Central District of California. Kevin de Len just postponed Wakanda Forever screening after uproar, I-5 closed through Grapevine as last wave of winter storm hits Southern California, Dictators and criminals fear this USC instructor whos making the case for an Oscar, Photos: Mountain communities buried in snow | More on the way, Prosecutor in controversial Hannah Tubbs case suspended for misgendering defendant, Environmentalists sue to overturn San Diego County climate plan. The couple sacrificed family trips and restaurant meals to pay for their children to attend a Catholic school that would build moral character, he said, but instead several of them now question their faith. }); A nun has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $835,000 in school funds, which she spent on gambling and other expenses. According to her plea agreement reviewed by Courthouse News, Kreuper began diverting both cash and checks the school received from payment for children's tuition and as donations into a St. James Convent bank account (established to pay for the living expenses of the nuns who worked at the school) as well as a the St. James savings account established for the school itself. He is a priest in the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and a former president of the Canadian Canon Law Society. Emailus. She is not allowed to leave the premises without permission and is always required to be accompanied by somebody. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. I apologize for the public scandal, the embarrassment and the financial burden that I have placed on the sisters in my religious community, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, St. James School, the parishioners, parents and students who placed their trust in me.. }); Myers said both the nuns had confessed to their crimes. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), One former student said Kreuper violated her trust and contributed to her decision to leave the Catholic Church. We, and those who share our charism and mission, are motivated in all things by our profound love of God and our dear neighbors. Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. Here are 10 you cant miss, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, Letters to the Editor: Trumps perfect call to Georgia was wrong. Mary Margaret Kreuper, retired nun, pleads guilty to stealing more than $830,000 from St. James Catholic School - The Washington Post This article was published more than 1 year ago Morning Mix. Kreuper controlled accounts at a credit union, including a savings account for the school and one established to pay the living expenses of nuns -- who had taken a vow of poverty -- employed by the school, prosecutors said. The 80-year-old dedicated 59 years of her life to the church and was appointed the principal at St. James Catholic School in 1990. 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 Lake. Get browser notifications for breaking News, live events, and exclusive reporting happening, he said at meeting... One day in federal prison byU.S a vow of poverty been a teacher threatened to the! 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