According to The New York Post, for the past three and a half years, Kreuper has been under house arrest. But. 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. gads_event = event; Mark Byrne, Kreupers attorney, acknowledged that Kreuper abused her trust, but called on Wright to sentence her to probation. The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this matter. window.adsContainer = {"positionAfterTitle":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position2":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position3":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Below_Next_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle1_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle2_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position7":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle3_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle4_Rel_Newrev","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle5_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position10":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle6_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position11":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle7_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position12":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle8_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position13":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle9_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position14":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle10_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position15":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle11_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"position16":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_Middle12_Rel_Newrev","max_width":336,"max_height":280},"positionTop":{"code":"Article_Desktop_970x250_Header_Rel","isOrganicUserAd":false,"max_width":970,"max_height":250},"positionBottom":{"code":"Article_Desktop_Sidebar_Bottom_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":300,"max_height":600},"positionBottomRight":{"code":"Article_Desktop_300x250_After_Title_Rel_Newrev","isOrganicUserAd":true,"max_width":336,"max_height":280}} Kreuper agreed to both charges which carry a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in federal prison. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was just 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Today, she has been held accountable by the United States criminal justice system. Kreuper promised to follow more closely in Christs footsteps and spend the rest of her life trying to make amends. Meyers said during the meeting that around that same time a family who gave money to the school requested a copy of the check, and staff noticed that the check had been deposited into an account not associated with the school. coming from you," he said from the bench when she appeared in court on Thursday. Eighty-year-old Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted stealing the money from 2008 to 2018 while she was principal at St. James Catholic School in the LA suburb of Torrance. Lock Kreuper was sentenced to one year in prison Monday and told to pay back the money. Assistant United States Attorney Poonam G. Kumar of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case. It said the parish, school and the Archdiocese: "Reported the matter and fully cooperated with authorities in the criminal investigation," adding: "We continue to offer our prayers for all impacted by this matter," CBS 9 reported. }) hitType: 'event', For a period of 10 years ending in September 2018, Kreuper embezzled money from St. James Catholic School. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, is seen in this undated photo. Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. '', U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II said at last year's plea hearing that he was raised as a Roman Catholic, "and was educated by nuns. 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. eventAction: 'load' Kreuper was principal at the school for 29 years. Parent and former school secretaryCheryl Hugo reportedly called Kreupers actions an abuse of power in every possible way.. Julija Garunkstis, who attended the small school of three stucco and red-brick buildings from 2005 to 2014, told the judge about the fear that Kreuper instilled in children when they misbehaved. Poonam Kumar told the judge. eventAction: 'click_adunit' Have a tip or story idea? [emailprotected]. United States Attorneys Office 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. In their letters [to the court], several students and parents commented on how the school was lacking in resourcesAnother parent discussed [in a letter to the court] how [Kreuper] said there was no money for an awning at school and no money for field trips.. 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. 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. According to legal documents, Kreuper embezzled money from the school over a period of 10 years ending in September 2018. "They were just such staunch defenders of moral fortitude, they were really tough on the kids," she said. 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. He previously covered state and national politics, including the 2020 presidential campaign. We are one of the worlds fastest growing "Unfortunately . Prosecutors say that Kreuper who served as the principal of St. James' school for 28 years prior to her 2018 arrest began embezzling money from the school in 2008 when she was around 66 years old. }); document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ An elderly nun who pleaded guilty to embezzling from a Catholic school to fund her own gambling trips has been sentenced to a year in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II said that Kreuper was one heck of a teacher but she ran completely off the road in her life. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the Central District of California. The 80-year-old dedicated 59 years of her life to the church and was appointed the principal at St. James Catholic School in 1990. First published on June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. ", In a statement, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said that: "The community of faith at St. James was shocked and saddened by these actions.". },false) Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. Ive broken the law and I have no excuses. But Phil Rhilinger, who with his wife, Debby, sent five kids to St. James, called on Wright to impose the maximum sentence up to 20 years for each of the two crimes. We do know that they had a pattern of going on trips. Viveca Tokatlian, whose son is now a senior at the University of San Diego and was once student in Chang's eighth-grade class, said she was shocked and disappointed by the news. In court papers it was . 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. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, will plead guilty on July 22 to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 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. Her deadline to show up for incarceration is noon on June 7. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' Meyers said he then notified the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who in turn hired an independent forensic auditor to perform a review. She will appear for an arraignment at the United States District Court on July 1. Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, the former a former principal at St. James Catholic School in Torrance, Los Angeles County, confessed to stealing $500,000 from the school to fund . eventAction: 'view' Her crime came to light after her retirement was announced in 2018 and the archdiocese began an audit of the school's finances to prepare for its change in leadership. Over the course of the scheme, Kreuper admitted to causing $825,339 in losses to St. James Catholic School. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. 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. 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. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. My actions were in violation of my vows, my commandments, the law and, above all, the sacred trust that so many had placed in me. We seek to build communities and bridge divides between people. Urgent needs call us to bold conversation and prophetic action. eventAction: 'render' "We. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ They also urged Wright to keep in mind that her status as a nun helped her evade detection. We, and those who share our charism and mission, are motivated in all things by our profound love of God and our dear neighbors. He is a priest in the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and a former president of the Canadian Canon Law Society. 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. Diverting embezzled funds into secret accounts, Kreuper used the money "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for,'' including large gambling expenses and trips to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Temecula, according to her plea agreement. ga('ads.send', { The total losses Kreuper caused to St. James Catholic School were $835,339. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, entered her plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which . You can be proud of that, he said. An indictment was unsealed today charging Terren S. Peizer, the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ontrak Inc., a Henderson, Nevada-based publicly traded health care company, for A Carson man who was a central figure in an international fraud and money-laundering network that targeted $25 million through a variety of frauds including romance scams and elder A former executive at cinema subscription service MoviePass Inc. has been arrested on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he embezzled approximately $260,000 from MoviePass parent company to repay money Central District of California Ciaran McEvoy Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admits to stealing over $835k from a Catholic School. 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. 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. These included: "Large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges.". But this week, prosecutors said Sister Mary Margaret, 79, had agreed to plead guilty to stealing more than $835,000. (CBSLA). Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The revelation came as a rude shock to parents who were led to believe that school was struggling to stay afloat because of a lack of funds. https://t.co/sk6S5pmKk7, She used the money "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for." Shes 80 years old. 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. The nun has also been asked to pay a total of $825,338 in restitution to St. James Catholic School. We pray that in time those impacted will find healing and the seeds of forgiveness. eventAction: 'click_ads' }); Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school. Kreuper pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and . Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of . At the prosecutors request, the judge later lowered the amount by $10,000 to account for what she has already repaid. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of the Arlington Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II, who also ordered her to pay $825,338 in restitution. At the time of her plea agreement, her attorney, Mark Byrne, suggested another reason in a statement to Courthouse News. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 by City News Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved. St. James Catholic School Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper embezzled $835,339 in the school's tuition, fees, and charitable donations for her personal expenses. 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. As the school's principal, she was responsible for managing money received by the. 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