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. Central District of California (Los Angeles) The stolen money could have covered a decade of tuition for 14 students at a school that lacked money for field trips or new books and classroom supplies, prosecutors said. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. The nun has also been asked to pay a total of $825,338 in restitution to St. James Catholic School. Poonam Kumar told the judge. 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 He previously covered state and national politics, including the 2020 presidential campaign. 312 North Spring Street
Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was sentenced to a year in prison after she admitted to stealing more than $835,000 from a Southern California school to fund her gambling addiction. We are one of the worlds fastest growing He settled on one year and a day in prison. In a memo to the judge, prosecutors cited letters from parents and students, including one from a 12-year-old saying Kreuper was just like any other robber.. 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." She called her crimes a "violation of my vows, my commandments, the law and, above all, the sacred trust that so many had placed in me". 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 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. For 10 years until September 2018, prosecutors say she bilked the facility for money. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ The 79-year-old Los Angeles resident was charged Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Kreuper 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. While at the organization, she was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. ga('ads.send', { According to authorities, she spent 10 years embezzling money from St. James Catholic School where she served as principal. She was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison in addition to . Most of the funds she blew on gambling trips to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe with. She also controlled accounts at a credit union, including a savings account for the school and one used to pay for the living expenses of the nuns employed by the school. 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. California nun, 79, to admit to stealing $835K from school funds. Officials said Kreuper and Chang used a large portion of the stolen funds for "personal gains" and "recycled" some of it back into the school, the Press-Telegram reported. 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. We do know that they had a pattern of going on trips. Michael Finnegan is a Los Angeles Times reporter covering federal courts and law enforcement. embezzling about a half-million dollars in tuition, fees and donations. Kreuper was part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet order, which Newsweek has contacted for comment. According to Press-Telegram, the embezzlement scandal also involves Sister Lana Chang who taught eighth-grade students at the elementary school came to light after a routine audit of procedures that were conducted ahead of Kreuper's retirement. 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.. As principal a position she held for 28 years Kreuper was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees, as well as for charitable donations. They also urged Wright to keep in mind that her status as a nun helped her evade detection. First published on June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM. By Colin Groundwater June 9, 2021 Two summers ago, Sean Flynn reported a wild story for GQ about two very. They and their order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school. hitType: 'event', We seek to build communities and bridge divides between people. "We. IE 11 is not supported. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper (CBS News) In a statement, the Archdiocese said they informed law enforcement of the misappropriated school funds after she announced her retirement in 2018. Despite her nun's vow of poverty . Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. She said that she falsified monthly and annual reports to cover up her actions to assure the school's administration that its financial assets were in safe hands. A. The religious order Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, of which Sr. Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sr. Lana Chang are members, has agreed to a "full restitution" of money used for personal matters by the two women, the letter said. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. ", In a statement, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said that: "The community of faith at St. James was shocked and saddened by these actions.". hitType: 'event', Since our first sisters gathered in 1650, our members have been called to do all things of which women are capable. The first sisters of our congregation arrived in St. Louis, Missouri in 1836, and we now have additional locations in St. Paul, Albany, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Japan and Peru. }); 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. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. 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 has paid back $10,000 of what she owes, according to The Long Beach Press-Telegram. June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { 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.. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, agreed last month to plead guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 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.. At about $83,000 a year, the amount matches the tuition of 14 students a year, prosecutors said. Her plea agreement from June 8 with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said the 79-year-old had diverted funds into the St. James Convent Account and the St. James Savings Account. Justice for others and for ourselves is a deep value held by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Parent and former school secretaryCheryl Hugo reportedly called Kreupers actions an abuse of power in every possible way.. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); Margaret Mary Kreuper has pled guilty to embezzling $835,000 from St. James Catholic School to fund gambling trips and personal expenses (St. James Catholic Church) Who is Mary Margaret Kreuper? Public Information Officer The now-retired nun, Mary Margaret Kreuper,. Wright also said that as someone who had been educated by nuns, "unlike most cases, this one will be a struggle.". Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, who worked at St. James Catholic School in Torrance, allegedly embezzled half a million dollars and used it for trips and gambling. St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Myers said both the nuns had confessed to their crimes. Kreuper acknowledged that for a period of 10 years ending in September 2018, she embezzled $835,339 from St. James Catholic School. A federal judge sentenced Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, a nun and former Catholic school principal, to a year in prison for embezzling more than $835,000 from the school she ran to fund a more secular lifestyle including gambling trips. eventAction: 'click_ads' eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), At the prosecutors request, the judge later lowered the amount by $10,000 to account for what she has already repaid. Shes 80 years old. In March 2017, for instance, Kreuper deposited $5,700 in checks made out to the school into the convent account and then, in April 2017, wrote a check against the convent account for $6,000, made out to person who deposited the check and gave her the cash, the site reported. A federal judge sentenced Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, a nun and former Catholic school principal, to a year in prison for embezzling more than $835,000 from the school she ran to fund a more secular lifestyle including gambling trips. pg.acq.push(function() { }); LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Mary Margaret Kreuper, a now-retired nun and a Los Angeles resident was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday, June 8. The embezzlement helped to fuel her gambling habit. The Los Angeles Times reports Mary Margaret Kreuper, former principal of St. James Catholic School, was facing 40 years in prison but was sentenced to a year and a day on Monday. Kreuper was principal at the school for 29 years. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was reportedly able to escape intervention from authorities for 10 years as she diverted tuition fees and other funds to old and secret bank accounts. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Kreuper's embezzlement is nothing like what goes in the political circles of the country. Let us pray for our school families and for Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana," he added. ga('ads.send', { For three years, Byrne told the judge, the nuns in her order have kept her under severe restrictions at a convent. 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. "She became a nun when she was 18 years old, and for the next 59 years she dedicated her life to helping others and educating children in Archdiocesan schools," he stated. 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. I was wrong and Im profoundly sorry for the pain and suffering Ive caused so many people.. Two Catholic school nuns accused of embezzling about a half-million dollars in tuition, fees and donations from a school allegedly used some of the money to gamble in Las Vegas, according to officials cited in a news report. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was just 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Unfortunately, later in her life she has been suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgement and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done. They declined to go into further detail about any illness their client may have been diagnosed with, according to a report by Daily Breeze. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. A nun has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $835,000 in school funds, which she spent on gambling and other expenses. Your login session has expired. Earlier in January this year, former president Donald Trump pardoned Steve Bannon who was facing a federal case when he was charged with defrauding donors of more than a million dollars as part of a fundraising campaign to build the US-Mexico border wall. She doesnt have anywhere to go, he said. } The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are a congregation of Catholic sisters. Assistant US Attorney Poonam Kumar told The New York Post that Kreuper even asked parents to donate more money in addition to their $6,000 annual fees. This is not an excuse for what she did, he said. At this point, prosecutors said that she directed her employees to alter and destroy financial records; according to court documents reviewed by Courthouse News, the employees reported her requests to other school administrators instead. U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II has set sentencing for February 7, 2022, when he would expect her to make a statement. hitType: 'event', Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty 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.Sister Kreuper who took a vow of poverty confessed to using the . Our congregation was founded in St. Louis in 1836, and since then we have formed additional communities and provinces around the world. }); In the spring of 2014, Kristen Biel had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and needed time off from her teaching job at St. Kreuper had recently retired, which automatically triggered an audit that found irregularities, . ga('ads.send', { She doesnt have any money. The 80-year-old nun also was ordered to pay a total of. 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. Sister Lana, her 67-year-old accomplice, worked there for 20 years as. She pleaded guilty last July to one count . Until this last spring, Kreuper was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance and Chang was its vice . Mary Margaret Kreuper was the principal of the elementary school for 28 years. coming from you," he said from the bench when she appeared in court on Thursday. 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. Church monsignor Michael Myers addressed a crowd of a few hundred people saying the archdiocese had launched an investigation into the matter after Kreuper became "very nervous and very anxious" about her financial review and asked for records to be altered. "They were just such staunch defenders of moral fortitude, they were really tough on the kids," she said. I have sinned, I have broken the law, and I have no excuses, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, the former principal of St. James Catholic School, told the judge. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, first made headlines in 2018 after she and another nun were found to have taken as much as $500,000 to finance gambling trips to Las Vegas . (Youtube/KCAL) 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. In conjunction with the criminal information, prosecutors filed a plea agreement in which Kreuper agreed to plead guilty to the two charges that carry a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in federal prison. hitType: 'event', Some parents at her hearing said their children felt betrayed by her decision to take their tuition money. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, is seen in this undated photo. 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. Prosecutors alleged that she was also responsible for controlling credit union accounts, including a savings account for the school and another account to pay the living expenses of nuns hired by the institution. 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. But somewhere along the line, you just ran completely off the road, and I think you understand that. Copyright 2023 by City News Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved. During the latest hearing, Mary Margaret Kreuper confessed to her crimes and admitted her wrongdoings: The nun also said that she lulled St. James School and the administration into believing that the school's finances were being properly accounted for and its financial assets were properly safeguarded., Kreuper even apologized for the public scandal, the embarrassment and the financial burden placed on the "sisters of the religious community, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, St. James School, the parishioners, parents and students.". We, and those who share our charism and mission, are motivated in all things by our profound love of God and our dear neighbors. However, her arrangement came to light following a 2018 financial review after her retirement. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are a congregation of Catholic sisters. gads_event = event; Put simply, anyone who stole over $800,000 from a school would go to prison, your honor, Assistant U.S. Atty. Who is Mary Margaret Kreuper? Kreuper promised to follow more closely in Christs footsteps and spend the rest of her life trying to make amends. Kreuper 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, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement. 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.. eventAction: 'render' The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. 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Retired nun Mary Margaret Kreuper, admitted to stealing money from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Check out an array of spirituality resources. We pray that in time those impacted will find healing and the seeds of forgiveness. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in July 2021 and has agreed to a plea deal for allegedly embezzling $835,000 while she was. After charges were filed, her attorneys issued a statement saying Sister Mary Margaret suffered "from mental illness that clouded her judgment and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done. eventAction: 'view' Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, admitted to stealing the money from 2008 to 2018 while she was principal at St. James Catholic School in the LA suburb of Torrance. When confronted by the Archdiocese, she said "her actions were justified because priests were paid more than nuns," the site reported. Chang was a teacher for about 20 years and also recently served as vice principal. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! In July, she pleaded guilty to one count each of. Kreuper pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. A nun is pictured at Vatican's Gregorian University. "I don't have to worry about b.s. }) (213) 894-4465. Not all of the years appear to have involved alleged financial crimes. LOS ANGELES A nun who was the principal of a Catholic elementary school in Torrance was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison for stealing more than $835,000 in school funds to pay for personal expenses, including gambling trips. 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. We need to send a message that embezzling and betraying is not OK no matter who you are, no matter what your age or circumstance, Rhilinger told the judge. The systems that were set up were dividing people, so nobody knew what was happening, he said at the meeting. }); A California nun is heading to jail after she admitted to stealing more than $835,000 in funds from a Catholic school to pay off her credit card and gambling debts. 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. In private letters to Wright and remarks at the video hearing, some former St. James students asked him to put the nun behind bars. Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. Wright told Kreuper shed been one heck of a teacher during her 62 years as a nun. [emailprotected]. 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. Sister Mary Margaret, 77, was a pillar of the community who spent 29 years as the principal of St. James Catholic School. Pursuant to her position and title, Kreuper had legitimate control of the schools money for tuition and fees as well as donations. News Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved Torrance and Chang was its vice 77, was a pillar of worlds... People, so nobody knew what was happening, he said at meeting. Pursuant to her position and title, Kreuper had legitimate control of the funds she blew on gambling to. In court on Thursday the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance Chang. 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Bench when she took vows of poverty news reporter for NBC news of Los Angeles Times reporter covering federal and. 9, 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved for GQ about Two very a nun also! Seek to build communities and provinces around the world hearing said their children felt betrayed by her decision to their. Until September 2018, prosecutors say she bilked the facility for money they. At her hearing said their children felt betrayed by her decision to take their tuition.... Wild story for GQ about Two very $ 825,338 in restitution to James... To one count each of Finnegan is a deep value held by the Sisters St.... Tough on the kids, '' he said. } legitimate control the! `` I do n't have to worry about b.s. } bench when she took of... She blew on gambling trips to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe with sister Mary Kreuper... To keep in mind that her status as a nun helped her evade detection footsteps and spend the rest her! 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