She also controlled two savings accounts, one for the school and one for the nuns living expenses. Despite the ongoing thefts, financial statements revealed the church continuing to operate in the black as the two sisters clandestinely plowed through church funds. Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were in the clear. The judges sentencing came as detractors and supporters showed up over Zoom to testify against or pledge their support for Kreuper, who had been a nun for 62 years. 2023 Blaze Media LLC. When first confronted by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper blamed the gender pay gap and said she deserved a raise because "priests get paid better than nuns". Bank records show Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang had been embezzling funds from St. James Catholic School in Torrance for at least a decade, the Press-Telegram reported. I wanted to see them. 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". Claiming mental illness at her age is a play for probation or the ability to serve her sentence at home. A spokesperson for the order confirmed for Snopes that, as of June 9, 2021, Kreuper was still a member of the Los Angeles congregation, but the restrictions against her remained in place, and she was no longer involved in any public ministry. In the audio, as well as in a previous Web version, of this story, we incorrectly say the fourth-grade teacher in a 2012 case was ordained as a minister. Kreuper stole the funds over the course of ten years, ending in 2018. Earlier in June, the former principal of St. James School was charged with wire fraud and money laundering. Rather, he said, she is religiously trained and a commissioned minister of the church. One article quoted a church accountant as ball-parking the amount at $500,000. But. Julija Garunkstis, a St. James mother who attended the school between 2005 and 2014, said Kreuper had shaken her faith. On June 9, for example, Fox News reported that: A retired Los Angeles nun will plead guilty to embezzling $835,000 from the elementary school where she worked in order to cover her gambling habits and other personal expenses, officials said this week. "The Gambling Nuns" saga is unlikely to come up at the Supreme Court, but it certainly is on Darryl Biel's mind. At least, thats where they caught her. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper A curated collection of links The Record What are records? A Los Angeles nun recently pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $800,000. The now-retired nun (I didnt know nuns could retire) admitted to stealing about $835,000 in donations, tuition and fees. One parent told the outlet of the situation: "It's crazy. But somewhere along the line, you just ran completely off the road, and I think you understand that. Kobe Bryant's widow awarded nearly $29m after police shared photos of helicopter crash, Doctors recommend end-of-life decision for Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore, Ramon Escobar: Serial murderer suspected of killing prison inmate. In June 2021, several local, national, and international news outlets reported that a nun in California had admitted, and was preparing to plead guilty to, embezzling $835,000 from the Catholic school she ran for three decades. She just enjoyed gambling, he said. His wife, he said, drove into their driveway "in tears bawling hysterically. Were those functions to be considered ministerial, Fisher says, the results would be dire. Wright acknowledged in court that while he struggled to judge Kreuper, a decorated principal, on the worst thing that shes done in her life, the impact nuns have on young people in leading by example is crucial and the nuns actions gambled away that guiding principle. Sister Lana Chang, a vice principal who was initially implicated in the scheme, was not charged. Its an explanation.. Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. var zergnet = document.createElement('script'); "Such action interferes with the internal governance of the church, depriving the church of control over the selection of those who will personify its beliefs.". At least I hope you do.. "Millions of people across the country who never thought or understood themselves to be leaders of the faith" would now "magically have no employment protections," he says. Kreuper signed the plea agreement, which Snopes has obtained and which can be read in full here, on June 2, 2021. According to the outlet, "Kreuper acknowledged diverting money to pay for personal expenses that included credit card charges and 'large gambling expenses incurred at casinos,' the U.S. attorney's office said.". She then used some of the funds to pay for "large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges.. If these teachers are exempt, he adds, then millions of employees are automatically exempt from laws enacted by Congress to protect workers, simply because they perform some duty their employer considers religious. Sister Mary Margarets lawyers said that she is very remorseful, and has been suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgement and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done.. Kreuper, 79, was charged Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, and in a plea agreement pleaded guilty to both charges, the Associated Press reported. We've received your submission. For years, St. James parents were told that the school was cash-strapped and unable to upgrade textbooks that were 20 years old, fund field trips or simply install an awning for the outdoor lunch area. She became principal at St. James Catholic School, about 20 miles outside downtown Los Angeles, in 1990. Kreuper falsified monthly and annual reports to cover up her crime and asked school employees to alter and destroy financial records during an audit. The nuns order says the woman are cooperating and intend to pay all of the money back in full. US District Court Judge Otis Wright acknowledged his own anguish in deciding a punishment to fit the crime, saying "I haven't slept well in God knows how long" as he rejected prosecutors' call for a two-year sentence. Associate Editor at BroBible covering all five major sports and every niche sport imaginable, found primarily in the college space. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79,of Los Angeles, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, She defrauded St. James Catholic Schoolover a period of 10 years, As principal, Kreuper had been in charge of the school's credit union account, where she was meant to deposit cash and checks from tuition, fees and donations, Also implicated in the scheme was Lana Chang, who worked as a teacher at St. James before becoming vice principal, Nun, 79, STOLE $835,000 from Catholic school over 10 years to fund her gambling trips, Teenage boy shot friend, 15, in face with his grandad's shotgun after 'being repeatedly humiliated and bullied by him', Apple pie could be CANCELED after writer links treat to genocide and cultural appropriation, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have 'done nothing but seek publicity' since leaving UK, former Palace aide claims, Woman, 21, records terrifying moment Uber driver relentlessly pesters her for sex despite her telling him 'no', Inside Bidens 30million G7 ring of steel with warships, The Beast & 400 Secret Service agents watching his every move, Murder probe scuppered after alligator makes off with dead body found floating in river, JBSA Lackland put on lockdown after shooting outside Air Force base in San Antonio. Sister Mary Margaret was caught in 2018. As headteacher at St James Catholic School, which she ran for 28 years, she "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", prosecutors said. Her husband said that in her final days, the couple talked extensively about the case. But when it came to the vow of poverty, the Southern California nun struggled to maintain her promise to the Catholic Church because of a gambling addiction that was out of control for a decade. Kreuper became principal at St. James Catholic School in 1990, a position she held for 28 years until her retirement in September 2018. They have been removed from their residence, placed in a religious house under the supervision of community leadership, and their freedom of movement is confined.". It wasnt until the house of cards came crashing down that she realized what she had done and started to go therapy, where she realized this addiction was a contributing factor. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, admitted stealing the money from St James Catholic School in the L.A. suburb of Torrance, where she was school principal for nearly 30 years. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang were seen as two of the strictest nuns at St James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, who worked as the school principal for 28 years, and Sister Lana Chang, a teacher at the school for 20 years, reportedly bilked the funds over a period of at least a decade, the Press-Telegram reported. Ultimately, "they are not people we understand to be spiritual leaders of the church.". For more information about our use of cookies, our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information generally, and any rights you may have to access, delete, or opt out of the sale of your personal information, please view our Privacy Policy. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, who was principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used the school funds to . In a statement to The Washington Post, Kreupers lawyers said she is very remorseful and sorry for any harm she has caused. Kreuper, he said, quoting an expert, was addicted to gambling, adding that it "is not an excuse for what she did merely an explanation". When Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was 18 years old, she vowed to dedicate her life to the education of children and helping those in need. Kumar said the nuns instruction to the auditors sparked suspicion, and they reported the incident to Msgr. James Convent, not St. It involves two fifth-grade teachers at Catholic schools in California. Prosecutors say the nun also ordered school employees to alter and destroy financial records during the audit. Since 2014, The Marshall Project has been curating some of the best criminal justice reporting from around the web. G7 summit - Biden brings 1.2m Cadillac The Beast but will it fit down Cornwalls tiny country lanes. Dan Mac Guill is a former writer for Snopes. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. The school soon had a change of heart following pushback. This large chunk of stolen money came as the St. James Catholic School was operating under tight budgets with small concerns that the finances could not continue to keep the door open. This time the question is whether lay teachers at parochial schools are exempt from the nation's fair employment laws. 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 . The purpose is to protect leaders of the faith, and their religions, from interference by the government. (RELATED: Nuns Allegedly Stole Catholic School Funds For Years: Report). Sister Mary is not full of grace. She is looking forward to getting on with life and will get treatment for her gambling addiction, he said. It is "telling," in these cases, he says, that the "teachers did not even have to be Catholic to have these jobs.". Thanks for contacting us. A NUN is set to plead guilty to embezzling more than $830,000 from the Catholic elementary school she ran to bankroll her gambling habit, prosecutors say. The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation into the allegations against Kreuper. When first confronted, Mr Kumar said, the nun claimed she "did it in part because she believes priests get paid better than nuns". The embezzlement helped to fuel her gambling habit. The pair confessed to using the funds for gambling excursions to Las Vegas and other spending sprees. Other parents remarked it was well-known that Kreuper and Chang traveled often and went gambling, with the two women claiming they were gifted the trips by a rich relative. She, too, retired in 2018. The schools denied that Morrissey-Berru and Biel were fired for discriminatory reasons. She admitted to taking a total of $835,000 in donations from the elementary school, and faces up to 40 years in federal prison. Parents said the two nuns were big on moral. But, Fisher counters, that "this isn't something you measure with a stopwatch." Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. An old unused bank account was the giveaway. By signing up to the Blaze News newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from Blaze Media that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content. But this week, prosecutors said Sister Mary Margaret, 79, had agreed to plead guilty to stealing more than. Shes very, very remorseful and very ashamed, he said. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. "Requiring a church to accept or retain an unwanted minister or punishing a church for failing to do so intrudes upon more than a mere employment decision," Roberts said. He had planned to be in Washington for Monday's argument. Police will still present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office, NBC reported. She spent the next 59 years of her life dedicated to the church, they said. I have sinned, I have broken the law and I have no excuses, Kreuper told the judge during her hearing, according to the Los Angeles Times. The judge settled on a prison sentence of one year and a day and also ordered Kreuper to pay back the money she had stolen from the school. zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true; We use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and to offer you a better experience. For decades, lower courts have recognized an exception to the nation's employment laws for ministers. As principal of St. James Catholic School, she oversaw the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. 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, 80, of Los Angeles, was sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay $825,338 in restitution. These nuns took a vow of poverty and said, Oh no, weve got a rich uncle, parent Jack Alexander said. Church officials said they did not wish to press charges against the sisters, who both expressed remorse. "She doesn't have anywhere to go," he said. The archdiocese of Los Angeles said in statement that the community of faith at St James was shocked and saddened by these actions and expressed gratitude to local and federal law enforcement agencies for their work in the investigation of this matter. Mary Margaret Kreuper (Image source: KTTV-TV video screenshot). Kreuper originally pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering back in 2021. BroBible is the #1 place on the internet for the very best content from the worlds of sports, culture, gear, high tech, and more. But she appreciates the outpouring of support shes received from people who have decided that rather to judge her on these actions toward the end of her career and life, theyve taken her whole life into consideration.. "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=47402'; It's very disturbing. If Kreuper has no prior criminal history, under federal sentencing guidelines the sentencing range should be between 41 and 57 months (between around three-and-a-half and five years), though the court will have the final say in her punishment. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, a former principal at St James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used tuition fees and donations to subsidize casino gambling expenses and credit card payments, the authorities said. "I have sinned," Sister Mary told a US . (RNS) Recently Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, a Catholic nun who stole $835,000 from a Catholic elementary school in Torrance, California, was sent to prison for a year and ordered to pay the . The Los Angeles native embezzled more than $835,000 from the Catholic school in Torrance, Calif., where she was principal to pay for 10 years of personal expenses, including her many gambling trips to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, according to federal prosecutors. 15 Episodes of Seinfeld That Teach Everything You Need To Know About Life. Ive used this to teach my son that were all human, we all make mistakes, but the power of forgiveness is the most powerful tool that we have.. In June 2021, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted to embezzling $835,000 from the Catholic school where she served as principal for 28 years. Kreuper was 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, her lawyers told the Post. At Monday's argument, Stanford law professor Jeff Fisher, who is representing the teachers, will tell the justices that by the terms of the teachers' contracts and the school handbooks, these teachers were hired to teach academic subjects. 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