On December 10, officials from a California church announced that two nuns had embezzled $500,000. Reportedly, the two used a bank account that the school where they worked had opened in 1997 but no longer used. One of the nuns, who was the school principal, had the bookkeeper process the checks. However, she then deposited them in the account and endorsed them as a convent instead of with the name of the school. The other nun was a teacher at the school.
The nuns spent the money gambling in Las Vegas. The embezzlement allegedly went on for about a decade. When the principal retired, the school did a routine audit and discovered it. According to the monsignor, one reason the embezzling was not discovered sooner was because the school had never been in the red.
The monsignor also said no one else was involved and that the nuns had admitted stealing the money and apologized. Along with their order, they had promised to repay the funds. Although they have not been charged, a complaint was filed with the police department by the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
Embezzlement is a serious crime with tough consequences. Some people who are being questioned in cases involving embezzlement or other financial crimes may not realize they could become the focus of the investigation. Therefore, people who are involved in an embezzlement investigation might want to consult with an attorney about their rights. A person who is charged with a crime may want to discuss defense strategies with a lawyer. Another possible option is a plea bargain. This usually involves making a deal with the prosecution instead of going to trial, pleading guilty to lesser charges and getting a lighter sentence.
Source: Fox News, “California nuns embezzled $500,000 for trips to Las Vegas, officials say,” Ryan Gaydos, December 10, 2018