|
Tuesday, February
24, 2009: A jury convicted a Florida priest on Monday
of stealing from his church, but the panel found that he embezzled far less than the $488,000 prosecutors charged. The Rev. Francis Guinan, 66, was found guilty of second-degree grand
theft of more than $20,000 but less than $100,000 after less than four hours of jury deliberations.Prosecutors claimed the clergyman from St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach
used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle that included trips to the Bahamas and Las Vegas, jewelry and home furniture.Guinan was accused of taking the money during the 19 months after he
became pastor in September 2003. The priest that preceded Guinan at the church pleaded guilty to first-degree grand theft
last month. The Rev. John Skehan, 81, who had been at the church for 40 years, is set to be sentenced next month for taking
$370,000.Church auditors believe the figure stolen over
the years by the priests was in the millions.
Then on Tuesday, August 11, 2009 there were allegations that a former youth minister embezzled $73,000
from a Shelbyville Tennessee church was presented to the Bedford County grand jury the following Monday, according to a Shelbyville,
police detective. Charles Lohn, the former youth minister at Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church, was brought in for questioning
"concerning his involvement in the embezzlement of approximately $73,000 from the church," Detective Sgt. Brian
Crews said.
On January 28, 2009 the - The Virginian-Pilot- Virginia beach
reported that a pastor accused of taking more than $100,000 from his former church faces up to 30 years' imprisonment after
pleading guilty in Virginia Beach Circuit Court on Tuesday. Kenneth
L. Montgomery, 49, who once led Hilltop Community Church on First Colonial Road, pleaded guilty to grand larceny and obtaining
money or property by false pretenses. An embezzlement charge was dropped. Sentencing was set for April 22.
|
|
On August 19,
2009 the news read that a Baptist minister was arrested that morning on charges of stealing more than $800,000 from the church
he leads in Compton, LA . The Rev. E. Joshua Sims, pastor of Double Rock Baptist Church in Compton, was taken into custody
that morning from his home in Corona. The arrest was a conclusion of a months-long investigation by sheriff's deputies. Between
March 2000 and September 2008, investigators believe, Sims diverted church funds into a personal account. When church members
began questioning his finances Sims allegedly threatened them during his sermons. One of the things he did was he purchased a high-end $100,000-plus Mercedes-Benz. He built an indoor
swimming pool to his house. He had a very elaborate house out in the city of Corona, which is a far cry from the houses you
see here in Compton,"
On
July 21, 2007 the associated press in Chicago reported that A Roman Catholic priest pleaded guilty Friday to charges
he stole $190,000 from his North Side church to fund international vacations and expensive clothing, food and liquor.
Rev. Mark Sorvillo was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to Class 1 theft, according to the Cook County
state's attorney's office. He had faced a maximum sentence of 30 years. Prosecutors said Sorvillo helped himself to
money from the weekly offerings at St. Margaret Mary Parish in West Rogers Park starting in 1998 until he resigned in February
2006. He also is accused of taking donations from baptisms and weddings.
|
|
| |
| |
Preventing Embezzlement of Church Funds Almost every other week we read in the news churches that has had funds embezzled from God's
House. The reasons are as varied as the person who has stolen from the church. Sometimes, the person steals because of a financial
crisis in his own life or in the lives of immediate family members. On the other hand, the person might be stealing just for
the fun of it. It does not seem to matter what the age of the person who is embezzling money. I have had experience with teenagers
to senior adults being involved in this crime. One factor seems to be constant in all the cases; church members were
surprised that the person embezzled the funds because the church trusted the person. There are several things every church needs to do to help
prevent this terrible crime from happening to their church. The church must guard itself and help protect the church treasurer
and other financial leaders from even a hint that embezzlement of church funds is possible.
- An annual financial review of church records
needs to conducted by the church finance committee or appointed ad hoc committee. The internal review is necessary to ensure that all church funds are spent according to
the wishes of the church. If the financial review committee discovers a problem with the financial records, then the committee
should contact an outside auditor to complete the investigation. If the outside auditor discovers embezzlement has occurred,
then the local police authorities should be contacted for proper action.
- Full disclosure of all church receipts
and expenditures including love offerings should be reported to the congregation annually. The detailed financial report should comply with IRS record-keeping guidelines.
- The church should require two signatures on
checks for all church expenditures.
On-line
bill payments should be verified by two signatures on the paper print-out. A check signer should never sign a blank check.
Finally, the church financial secretary should not be one of the check signers. In many churches, the financial secretary
receives and deposits part of the church’s income. This would be a conflict of interest if she spent the money, too.
- The church treasurer should not receive or
count the church’s income.
However,
if the church treasurer occasionally receives church income, then the treasurer should record the income in a ledger that
is available for public inspection. The church treasurer should never take the church’s offering home with him or deposit
the church’s offering. This is the responsibility of other financial leaders.
- The church should use sealed bank security
bags for church offerings.
Sunday morning
worship service and Sunday School offerings should be taken to the bank immediately following the morning service
|
|
|
| |
| |
- At least two unrelated individuals should receive
the church offering during the worship services and Sunday School.
If possible, these individual should rotate with other individuals in their responsibilities.
- Likewise, church should rotate the money counters
or tellers.
As a general rule, the treasurer
should not count the money but she can be available to assist the counters or tellers.
- Church offerings of currency should be counted
and recorded on bank deposit receipts.
The
currency should be listed as dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies on the deposit slip. The deposit slips should
be kept as part of the church’s financial recordkeeping.
- A copy of the church financial records should
be kept at the church.
The church treasurer
can process the recordkeeping at home, but the permanent records should be kept at the church. Also, contribution credit statements
should be made available to everyone who has given to the church.
- The church should track giving patterns over
time.
Questions should be asked such as has
the loose currency decreased or increased? Has income suddenly increased or decreased? Some churches even send marked currency
through the system to make sure the offerings are received fully.
The church treasurer should take the lead in recommending
these suggestions to help protect his name and reputation plus help prevent embezzlement of church funds. Likewise, the church
financial leadership needs to listen and act upon the responsible suggestions made by the church treasurer. If a church thinks
it is beyond this serious crime happening to them, then they are sadly mistaken.
|
|
