At least eight churches in Hernando County have been hit by burglars since November 2009, law enforcement officials have been asking residents for help in finding those responsible. Similar burglaries have taken place in Citrus, Alachua, Lake, Levy, Marion and Sumter counties.
Authorities and church officials said the offenses have occurred mostly at night, generally late Sunday night or early Monday morning after offerings from earlier services have been locked way. In most of the cases, burglars have rummaged through the offices looking for money. Click on this link to view video: http://video.tbo.com/m/29219397/churches-targeted-by-burglars.htm
Posted By rodneypires on February 28, 2010
Category: Church Burglary, Uncategorized
Tags: Church Burglary
The Catholic priest who stole from his parish is locked up in the Monmouth County Jail. The Rev. joseph Hughes pleaded for leniency from Superior Court Judge Better Uhrmacher which was denied. Instead the Superior Judge sentence Rev. Hughes to five years in prison.
Rev Hughes pleaded guilty last month to taking in excess of $75,000 in parish money. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office put the figure at $2,032,422. Rev. Hughes never plead guilty to stealing the full amount, however, he did agree as part of his plea deal to repay it. Rev Hughes also agreed to pay $120,229 to the state in back taxes. Question: What policies and procedures do you have in place to protect your church from embezzlement? Who counts the offering and who verifies it? When is the offering counted and is it maintained under a secured area with CCTV and card access? Does your church require that all church checks require two signatures?
Posted By rodneypires on February 28, 2010
Category: Church Embezzlement, Uncategorized
Tags: Church Embezzlement
The Rev. Robert Chukwu shook hands and mingled in the Crawford County courtroom Monday before his name was called.
The Catholic priest stared forward and pressed his lips together for most of his preliminary hearing as the district attorney laid out a felony theft case that accuses him of stealing about $200,000 from two Crawford County parishes and the Diocese of La Crosse. Chukwu, who wore his clerical collar to court, stood mute as a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. Chukwu sent money to priests, a nun, a school and family in Nigeria between Jan. 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2009, according to the criminal complaint. He holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Nigeria and had been assigned to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gays Mills and St. Phillip’s Catholic Church in Soldiers Grove.
Chukwu, 59, spent $6,000 in 2008 to buy and mail a 40-foot container filled with $100,000 in artificial flowers, candlesticks, pedestal tables and other merchandise to Nigeria for profit, the complaint stated. Chukwu already spent $50,000 filling another shipment. Money from the 2007 flood damage “was probably the primary source” of the money, diocesan clergy liaison the Rev. Joseph Hirsch testified. Chukwu used the parishes’ debit cards to purchase the items, said diocesan financial officer Sondra Rieder.
Chukwu told Hirsch and diocesan attorney Jim Birnbaum during a Dec. 17 meeting he also invested money in Nigeria for a better interest rate than the diocese offered.
“He said he knew it wasn’t following protocol of the diocese,” Hirsch testified. The diocese hired an independent accounting firm in December to review parish books when it noticed excessive long distance telephone charges, Rieder said. She said Chukwu disbanded the parishes’ finance councils before she was silenced by an objection.
Auditor Sandy Jensen said she discovered about $200,000 in debit card transactions without invoices. About $100,000 was reimbursed to the account. Jensen also discovered money orders signed by Chukwu for $5,500 to a shipping company and $9,000 to a priest in Texas. Chukwu, who is free on a $25,000 signature bond, returns to court April 7 for a status hearing.
Posted By rodneypires on February 28, 2010
Category: Church Embezzlement, Uncategorized
Tags: Church Embezzlement
A Rowan County clergy member has been charged with embezzling money from a religious organization over a two-year period, the Salisbury police say.
Rev. Johnnie Lee Jones, of Concord
The Rev. Johnnie Lee Jones, of Concord, was charged by police with embezzling $20,000 from the Western N.C. Association of the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ.Jones had been treasurer of the organization for four years, and police say he admitted the theft – and returned $5,000 of the money – when his term expired earlier this year. He surrendered to police Friday. Police say Jones wrote the checks to an accounting firm he operates in Concord.
Posted By rodneypires on February 28, 2010
Category: Church Embezzlement
Tags: Church Embezzlement
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are conducting an investigation of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cardiff, California. ATF believe that the church was victim of arson. Authorities indicated that graffiti was spray-painted on the church’s outer doors, but declined to nature of the contents. No arrest or suspects have been named.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cardiff, California
Posted By rodneypires on February 26, 2010
Category: Church Arson, Uncategorized
Tags: Church Arson
February 25, 2010: Lumberton Police arrested Daniel James Allen-19-years of age and charged him with arson of the Fletcher Emmanuel Alive Church in Hardin County. Allen confessed to burglarizing the church and setting it on fire in an attempt to cover the burglary. If Allen is convicted on all charges, he faces the possibility of life in prison.
Daniel James Allen, 19
Posted By rodneypires on February 26, 2010
Category: Church Arson, Uncategorized
Tags: Church Arson
Stephen Brown, 37
Jackson County Sheriff department reports that Stephen Brown, 37, a youth leader at Grace Independent Baptist Church was arrested on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 on multiple counts of possession of child pornography. Law enforcement officials report that they seized several undisclosed items linking Stephen Brown to child pornography.
Brown is being held on a $1 million bond in the Jackson County jail. If convicted on all charges, Brown faces a maximum prison sentence of 80 years. Question: What do you know about the church employees and volunteers teaching your children? Has the church taken every precaution in the protection of your children from child predators? Is there a comprehensive background screening in place at your church?
Posted By rodneypires on February 26, 2010
Category: Sex Crimes, Uncategorized
Tags: Sex Crimes
Firefighters reported that the Foursquare Church of God located in Northwest Oklahoma City was the victim of arson. The church was empty at the time of the fire. No arrest or suspects have been identified at this time.
Posted By rodneypires on February 26, 2010
Category: Church Arson, Uncategorized
Tags: Church Arson
Lafayette – Police are investigating a church arson that caused minor damage.
Someone set fire to the front door of the Greater Macedonia Church of God in Christ early Monday morning February 22, 2010. Firefighters put it out before it got past the church’s front door.
The church is in a historic downtown building that was formerly a synagogue.
Posted By rodneypires on February 24, 2010
Category: Church Arson, Uncategorized
Tags: Church Arson
On February 22, 2010, the former youth minister at a Clermont County church pleaded guilty to sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct involving a 15-year-old girl. Christoper E. Evans, 39, could get up to 50 years in prison when sentenced. During the hearing, Evans bowed his head and wiped tears from his eyes with a handkerchief. After serving any sentence imposed, Evans will be required to register as a sex offender with local police every 90 days for the rest of his life. Evans was married with children. Question: Has your church conducted the proper Background Investigations on employees and volunteers?
Posted By rodneypires on February 23, 2010
Category: Sex Crimes
Tags: Sex Crimes
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