But, Fisher counters, that "this isn't something you measure with a stopwatch." All rights reserved. After taking a vow of poverty, her excuse for lavish gambling expenses is hilarious. Mr Kumar said that jealousy played a part, calling the episode "really an abuse of position of trust". 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. 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. Kumar said the nuns instruction to the auditors sparked suspicion, and they reported the incident to Msgr. The tuition checks and funds sent to St. James Catholic School between 2008 and 2018 that were stolen by Kreuper equaled the tuition of 14 different students per year, prosecutors said. Of course, at 79, the likelihood that Sister Mary Margaret will see any jail time is relatively slim. In a statement to The Washington Post, Kreupers lawyers said she is very remorseful and sorry for any harm she has caused. Ultimately, "they are not people we understand to be spiritual leaders of the church.". Kreuper signed the plea agreement, which Snopes has obtained and which can be read in full here, on June 2, 2021. (deployads = window.deployads || []).push({}); (function() { An old unused bank account was the giveaway. Rassbach will tell the Supreme Court that not everyone who works at a religious school or institution is exempt from these laws. 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. They dont want you to see this Big Tech does its best to limit what news you see. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. Is A Hot Dog A Sandwich? But somewhere along the line, you just ran completely off the road, and I think you understand that. By that math, Sister Mary Margaret was only 66 when the behavior began. All they needed to do was get through the school year. Yes, a Nun Has Admitted to Embezzling $835,000 from a Catholic School Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering for her role in a scheme to defraud a. She is set to be arraigned in court on July 1. 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. The 80-year-old nun also was ordered to pay a total of. She betrayed the trust of people in the community, the parents, students, the archdiocese and the sisters. Kreuper became principal at St. James Catholic School in 1990, a position she held for 28 years until her retirement in September 2018. St.James Catholic School caught embezzling $500K for personal use, including gambling as church declines to press charges. 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. 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. Rather, he said, she is religiously trained and a commissioned minister of the church. 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 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 . Similar articles were published by the Los Angeles Times, KTLA, and Unilad.co.uk. 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. James Convent instead of St. 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. 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. The schools denied that Morrissey-Berru and Biel were fired for discriminatory reasons. 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. 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. Meyers reported it to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who hired their own auditor. })(); 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. The school soon had a change of heart following pushback. Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were in the clear. A federal appeals court ruled against the schools, which appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Kreuper, who took vows of poverty at age 18 and spent 59 years in the religious order, said in her plea agreement that she had begun diverting money from the schools tuition and donation account to a savings account that funded the living expenses of the nuns who worked at the school and then used some of the money herself. 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.. 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. I wanted them to see me," he says "and I just pray that the justices see the right way.". 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. Image Via Scott Varley/Digital First Media/ Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images. Shes very, very remorseful and very ashamed, he said. 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. 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.. As outlined in her plea agreement, beginning in 2008, Kreuper began depositing tuition checks and donations into the school's account and then diverted the money into the covenant account. Its an explanation.. Eric Rassbach of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who is representing the schools before the court, disagrees. 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. On. 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. These nuns took a vow of poverty and said, Oh no, weve got a rich uncle, parent Jack Alexander said. (RELATED: Nuns Allegedly Stole Catholic School Funds For Years: Report). Kreuper also admitted to falsifying monthly and annual reports to the school administration in an effort to cover up the embezzlement. Kreuper pleaded guilty last July. 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. "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. 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. American sister stole money from accounts she controlled as a headteacher and used it to pay off credit card charges and "large gambling expenses incurred at casinos". The 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. However, the church chose not to press charges against the two nuns. Many parents were outraged with the initial decision not to press charges, with some remarking that if the nuns were lay people, they would certainly be in jail according to the presstelegram. 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.. 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. "I wanted to face them. 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 and Sister Lana were both Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. It involves two fifth-grade teachers at Catholic schools in California. When first confronted, Mr Kumar said, the nun claimed she "did it in part because she believes priests get paid better than nuns". But how do we define who is a minister and who is not? Also implicated in the scheme was Lana Chang, who worked as a teacher at St. James before becoming vice principal. She then used some of the funds to pay for "large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges.. Police will still present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office, NBC reported. Claiming mental illness at her age is a play for probation or the ability to serve her sentence at home. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, of Los Angeles, was sentenced Monday to one year and one day for fraud and money laundering charges. Mary Margaret Kreuper (Image source: KTTV-TV video screenshot). His wife, he said, drove into their driveway "in tears bawling hysterically. 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. At least I hope you do.. Those reports were accurate, and we are issuing a rating of "True.". James School.. The scheme was uncovered during an audit after Kreuper retired in 2018. G7 summit - Biden brings 1.2m Cadillac The Beast but will it fit down Cornwalls tiny country lanes. Instead, the school's principal, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was stealing the money and using it to bankroll her gambling habit, federal prosecutors said, violating her vow of poverty. In June 2021, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted to embezzling $835,000 from the Catholic school where she served as principal for 28 years. 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.. 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. "She doesn't have anywhere to go," he said. By Megan Carpentier. The two would skim money off of the top through separate school bank accounts and then head out to Vegas and put it into the casinos. One parent told the outlet of the situation: "It's crazy. 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 . 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. At the heart of this dispute is the First Amendment ban on government establishment of religion and the separation of church and state. She is expected to report to prison by June, Byrne said, and will be released in 2023. But Fisher notes that the schools in these cases do not claim any religious reason for firing the teachers. We use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and to offer you a better experience. This material may not be reproduced without permission. She became principal at St. James Catholic School, about 20 miles outside downtown Los Angeles, in 1990. 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. Officials pointed out that Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty as a nun. 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.". 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. 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. 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. After much public outcry to pursue legal action, the archdiocese hired a former FBI agent to investigate the two nuns. 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.". 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. 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. One article quoted a church accountant as ball-parking the amount at $500,000. 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. She claimed that she was fired after she told her superior, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. 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 . 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. 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. znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr); She also controlled two savings accounts, one for the school and one for the nuns living expenses. Since 2014, The Marshall Project has been curating some of the best criminal justice reporting from around the web. "The Gambling Nuns" saga is unlikely to come up at the Supreme Court, but it certainly is on Darryl Biel's mind. 2022 Blaze Media LLC. The nuns order says the woman are cooperating and intend to pay all of the money back in full. Prosecutors said that she had also instructed school employees to alter and destroy financial records. 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. "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. Kreuper was 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, her lawyers told the Post. 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. 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. 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, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. 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. I wanted to see them. Earlier in June, the former principal of St. James School was charged with wire fraud and money laundering. The vow leads a nun to imitate Jesus, who for our sake became poor, although he was rich. 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. Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. BroBible is the #1 place on the internet for the very best content from the worlds of sports, culture, gear, high tech, and more. 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. 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, according to a release from the U.S. attorneys office for the Central District of California. She wanted more than she had.. They say she also instructed employees at the school to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit, investigators found. Sister Kreuper who took a vow of poverty confessed to using the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including her gambling habit. She doesn't have any money. 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. (Shutterstock) LOS ANGELES, CA The retired principal of a Catholic . These nuns took a vow of poverty and said, oh no, weve got a rich uncle, one parent told the Press-Telegram. 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. All rights reserved. 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. US District Court Judge Otis Wright acknowledged his own anguish in deciding a punishment to fit the crime, saying "I haven't slept well in God knows how long" as he rejected prosecutors' call for a two-year sentence. Despite the ongoing thefts, financial statements revealed the church continuing to operate in the black as the two sisters clandestinely plowed through church funds. 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. Kreuper, he said, quoting an expert, was addicted to gambling, adding that it "is not an excuse for what she did merely an explanation". The sisters, described as best friends, both retired earlier this year. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. "I have sinned," Sister Mary told a US . Dan Mac Guill is a former writer for Snopes. Advice for the relationships in your life and how to boost your own well-being. Two nuns confessed to using the embezzled Funds to pay for personal,., very remorseful and very ashamed, sister mary margaret kreuper said, Oh no, weve got a rich uncle one... To serve her sentence at home quot ; sister Mary told a US said... 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