In her plea agreement, they noted that she used the money "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for, including large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges. 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. A. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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Now Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, is set to spend a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. ciaran.mcevoy@usdoj.gov A retired nun accused of gambling with the funds of a Torrance Catholic school where she worked as the principal faces federal prison time after pleading gui. Not all of the years appear to have involved alleged financial crimes. }); As part of her efforts to suppress everything, she got school employees to change and destroy financial records during a school audit. 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. In court papers it was . 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. This is merely an explanation.. hitType: 'event', Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Kreuper, as a nun, had taken a vow of poverty and diverted school funds into the St. James Convent Account and the St. James Savings Account. Church officials previously said they did not want to press criminal charges against the nuns. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), They both retired at the end of this past school year, shortly before St. James Catholic Church in Redondo Beach was made aware of the alleged embezzlement happening at its school. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. In July, she pleaded guilty to one count each of. When the Archdiocese of Los Angeles first confronted Kreuper about her misconduct, she argued that priests are better paid than nuns, and said she believed she deserved a raise, according to the government. Be the first one to comment on this story. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, who took a vow of poverty, begged a judge to show . Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, who belong to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, are suspected of embezzling a "substantial" amount of money from a Catholic school in. 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 . ga('ads.send', { St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. 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. }); By Megan Carpentier The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. 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.. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. hitType: 'event', Prosecutors filed federal wire fraud and money laundering charges against Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, for stealing more than $835,000 in school funds to pay for personal expenses, including gambling trips, the Justice Department said. A Los Angeles nun jailed for stealing more than $800,000 to fund a gambling habit has admitted "I have sinned". }); "I don't look at nuns as ordinary people," he said, according to FOX 6. The judge said he was grappling with the possibility that conditions at the convent might be worse than prison. The Sisters of St. Joseph both desire and intend to make complete restitution to St. James School. READ ALSO | 2 nuns accused of embezzling 'substantial' amount from Catholic school in Torrance. As part of her role as the head of the institution, Kreuper oversaw all funds the school received for tuition fees and charitable donations. According to the plea agreement, Kreuper embezzled money from St. James for a period of 10 years ending in September 2018. hitType: 'event', Ive broken the law and I have no excuses. But it doesnt mean hes a criminal, Rain check! }); 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. 'I have sinned, I've broken the law and I . In the spring of 2014, Kristen Biel had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and needed time off from her teaching job at St. These included: "Large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges.". He previously covered state and national politics, including the 2020 presidential campaign. She doesnt have anywhere to go, he said. 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. Kreuper promised to follow more closely in Christs footsteps and spend the rest of her life trying to make amends. The two embezzling sisters are Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang. Kreupers attorneys Mark A. Byrne and Daniel V. Nixon told The Washington Post that the nun took responsibility for her actions right after she was confronted by the L.A. archdiocese. "Unfortunately, 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. This is not an excuse for what she did, he said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. We, and those who share our charism and mission. She pleaded guilty toone count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in July 2021, according to prosecutors, as part of a plea deal. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, entered her plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which . Now Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, is set to spend a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Have a tip we should know? Kreuper allegedly held on to some of the checks and deposited them into a separate bank account than the one used by the school. Federal authorities charged 79-year-old Mary Margaret Kreuper with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering for her role in the scheme while principal of St. James Catholic School . Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. Today, we commit to respond boldly to injustice and dare to be prophetic. Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. 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. Parent and former school secretaryCheryl Hugo reportedly called Kreupers actions an abuse of power in every possible way.. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), IE 11 is not supported. "Unfortunately, later in her life she has been suffering from mental illness that clouded her judgment and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done," read the statement, which was carried by media outlets, "She is very sorry for any harm she has caused. 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. Check out an array of spirituality resources. An official website of the United States government. Let us pray for our school families and for Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana," he added. At about $83,000 a year, the amount matches the tuition of 14 students a year, prosecutors said. 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. June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM https://t.co/sk6S5pmKk7, She used the money "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for." Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school. Over the course of the scheme, Kreuper admitted to causing $825,339 in losses to St. James Catholic School. ga('ads.send', { Kreuper had pleaded guilty in July to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. 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 took advantage of her position as principal at the school, where she was responsible for its income, which consisted of tuition fees and charitable donations. 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. Kreuper pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of The nun admitted to her crimes shortly after she was indicted. St. James Catholic School Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper embezzled $835,339 in the school's tuition, fees, and charitable donations for her personal expenses. However, her arrangement came to light following a 2018 financial review after her retirement. Who is Mary Margaret Kreuper? }); U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Environmental Crimes and Community Safety, Nun Who Embezzled Tuition Money from Torrance Catholic Elementary School Sentenced to One Year in Federal Prison, CEO of Nevada-Based Publicly Traded Health Care Company Charged with Federal Crimes for Alleged Insider Trading Scheme, Carson Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Role in International Conspiracy to Launder Money Taken from Fraud Victims, Former MoviePass Executive Arrested on Indictment Alleging He Embezzled $260,000 from Employer to Repay Coachella Debt, Nun Who Embezzled Tuition Money From Torrance Catholic Elementary School Sentenced To One Year In Federal Prison. While at the organization, she was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. Kreuper falsified monthly and annual reports to the school administration to cover up her fraudulent conduct and 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, according to court documents. A nun who stole $835,000 from the Catholic primary school where she served as principal for 28 years, was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison. "The Sisters have confirmed the misappropriation of funds and have cooperated in the investigation. Public Information Officer ", Baby Mia Jade Riley: Parents Lani and Tom Riley speak out after dog attack killed their 5-week-old infant, Kyle Sambrook: Hiker falls 100ft to death while carrying his dog in one hand through 'appalling' weather, Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in, Julia Faustyna: 21-yr-old girl who claims to be Madeleine McCann admits to making 'pornographic videos' in past, Killer mom Lindsay Clancy was suffering from drug withdrawal and had 'worst side effects,' says friend. We are a congregation of Catholic sisters tracing our origins to France in 1650, who strive to share the great love of God with our dear neighbors today. I got exactly what I paid for. ", Kreuper, they noted in their press releases, "as a nun had taken a vow of poverty.". Your login session has expired. Since our first sisters gathered in 1650, our members have been called to do all things of which women are capable. Today, we commit to respond boldly to injustice and dare to be prophetic. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this matter. }); 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. }); Have a tip or story idea? They and their order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school. "We. Chang and Kreuper's scheme was exposed after an internal auditor confirmed the church's suspicions. Until this last spring, Kreuper was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance and Chang was its vice . Michael Finnegan is a Los Angeles Times reporter covering federal courts and law enforcement. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. } She pled guilty to the charges in July 2021 and admitted that she embezzled money from the school for over a decade during her tenure. The school became aware of the alleged embezzlement in a routine audit when one of the nuns retired as the school's principal. The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the Torrance Police Department, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation. She called her crimes a violation of my vows, the commandments, the law, and above all the sacred trust that so many had placed in me.. let gads_event; The 80-year old nun was ordered to pay $825,338.57 she embezzled while principal at St. James in Torrance, CA and spent gambling in Las Vegas. We seek to build communities and bridge divides between people. As per the plea deal, Kreuper reportedly used the embezzled money to fund her personal expenses, including large gambling bets and vacations to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Temecula. Of course, none of her control legitimately extended to using school funds for large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges, but that is what Kreuper did. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The systems that were set up were dividing people, so nobody knew what was happening, he said at the meeting. }); SisterMary Margaret Kreuper, 80, was sentenced on Monday to 12 months and one day in federal prison byU.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II and ordered to pay$825,338 in restitution to theSt. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, according to a press release from theU.S. Attorneys Office in the Central District of California. In a series of deeply personal remarks from the bench, Wright, 77, a Marine veteran and former deputy sheriff who has served as a federal judge for 15 years, said he owed where I am today in large part to a nun who inspired him early in life. On Monday night, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles told parents and alumni at a meeting that Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, described as best friends, took around $500,000 from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, according to an audio recording of the meeting obtained by the Press-Telegram. 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. At least I hope you do.. 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