She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. In the spring of 2014, Kristen Biel had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and needed time off from her teaching job at St. Michael Finnegan is a Los Angeles Times reporter covering federal courts and law enforcement. 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. 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. For a period of 10 years ending in September 2018, Kreuper embezzled money from St. James Catholic School. ", In a statement, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said that: "The community of faith at St. James was shocked and saddened by these actions.". The now-retired nun, Mary Margaret Kreuper,. Ive broken the law and I have no excuses. 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. Wright ordered Kreuper, who took a vow of poverty and whose living expenses are paid for by the order, to pay $835,339 in restitution to St. James. Online prison records do not yet show Kreuper in federal custody. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. 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. Our congregation was founded in St. Louis in 1836, and since then we have formed additional communities and provinces around the world. We also deeply value relationships. 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. }); On screen in one of the Zoom windows were five fellow nuns from her order, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, admitted to stealing the funds while she was principal at St. James Catholic School from 2008 to 2018. Retired nun Mary Margaret Kreuper, admitted to stealing money from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. Public Information Officer Who is Mary Margaret Kreuper? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Yosemite breaks decades-old snowfall record, closing national park indefinitely, San Diego federal judge had defendants 13-year-old daughter handcuffed. Kreuper also directed St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. 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. Sister Mary Margaret, 77, was a pillar of the community who spent 29 years as the principal of St. James Catholic School. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Shes obviously not employable., Byrne also cited an expert report finding that Kreuper was addicted to gambling. 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. Mark Byrne, Kreupers attorney, acknowledged that Kreuper abused her trust, but called on Wright to sentence her to probation. 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. She diverted tuition to a secret account, which she used to fund casino trips, prosecutors said. }); A locked padlock Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admits to stealing over $835k from a Catholic School. A Los Angeles nun and school principal who stole more than $800,000 to pay for a gambling habit was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison. Kreuper also falsified the school's monthly and yearly financial reports to hide her embezzlement and, when questioned by parents about the school's resources, told them "there was no money for an awning at school and no money for field trips," prosecutors said. Have a tip we should know? Trust shouldnt be broken like that., Kevin Kearns, who met Kreuper in 2011 when he enrolled his son in kindergarten at St. James, asked Wright to show leniency, saying she put the students and parents above everything else., The church tells us to forgive those who have trespassed against us, Kearns said. She pleaded guilty last July to one count . A Los Angeles nun jailed for stealing more than $800,000 to fund a gambling habit has admitted "I have sinned". Prosecutors had recommended a 24-month prison sentence, three years of supervised release, and restitution. 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. 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? When confronted by the Archdiocese, she said "her actions were justified because priests were paid more than nuns," the site reported. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday and has agreed to a plea deal, according to a release from the U.S. attorney's. 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Despite her nun's vow of poverty . Kreuper had pleaded guilty in July to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. 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. The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this matter. While at the organization, she was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. 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. 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.. ga('ads.send', { Please logout and login again. 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. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. let gads_event; While at the organization, she was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. ", She also admitted in the plea agreement to falsifying monthly and annual reports to the school's administration to cover up the fraudulent conduct and "lulled St. James School and the Administration into believing that the school's 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 school's finances and accounts and, thus, continue operating the fraudulent scheme.". 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.. When an audit threatened to expose the scheme, Kreuper instructed St. James employees to destroy documents. Her deadline to show up for incarceration is noon on June 7. Kreuper pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday and has agreed to a plea deal for allegedly embezzling $835,000 while she was the. The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. 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. } 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. The 80-year-old nun also was ordered to pay a total of. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ Myers said both the nuns had confessed to their crimes. A nun has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $835,000 in school funds, which she spent on gambling and other expenses. 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, was sentenced to one year and one day for fraud and money laundering. She convinced school administration into thinking everything was on the up and up. According to Meyers, Kreuper and Chang were able to get away with the alleged scheme for years because the school was profitable and the money the sisters took would have ended up in a reserve fund. 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. Today, we commit to respond boldly to injustice and dare to be prophetic. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. }); hitType: 'event', Kreuper, who retired in 2018 after 28 years as the schools principal, pleaded guilty in July to wire fraud and money laundering, confessing that she stole tuition checks, spent much of the money on casino outings with friends and tried to cover up the embezzlement. 'I have sinned, I've broken the law and I . At the time of her plea agreement, her attorney, Mark Byrne, suggested another reason in a statement to Courthouse News. Auditors at the meeting said that checks made out to the school for tuition and other fees first went to Kreuper before being handed over to the bookkeeping staff. However, the nun started diverting the money into secret accounts in 2008 to fund her gambling habits and personal credit card charges. This is merely an explanation.. READ ALSO | 2 nuns accused of embezzling 'substantial' amount from Catholic school in Torrance. They and their order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school. Check out an array of spirituality resources. Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school. She further admitted "lulling St. James School and the administration into believing that the school's finances were being properly accounted for and its financial assets properly safeguarded,'' which allowed her to maintain access to the school's finances. 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, who took a vow of poverty, begged a judge to show . U.S. District Judge Otis D . JudgeOtis D. Wright II, however, said that the majority of letters to the court from people like coworkers, church leaders, parents, and former students pushed for a lighter sentence. She will appear for an arraignment at the United States District Court on July 1. Mary Margaret Kreuper, a retired nun who served as principal of a Catholic elementary school in Torrance, California, for 28 years, agreed on Tuesday to plead guilty to fraud and money laundering. Defense attorneys said Kreuper became a nun when she was 18 years old, and for the next 59 years "dedicated her life to helping others and educating children in Archdiocesan schools. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), She diverted tuition to a secret account, which she used to fund casino trips, prosecutors said. 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. Let us pray for our school families and for Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana," he added. Pursuant to her position and title, Kreuper had legitimate control of the schools money for tuition and fees as well as donations. Some parents at her hearing said their children felt betrayed by her decision to take their tuition money. Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. 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. 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 or story idea? I was wrong, and I am profoundly sorry for the pain and the suffering that I have caused so many people, she told Wright. Nuns should realize that just by living their lives and living the way they do and treating people the way they do, they affect children for the rest of their lives, said Wright, who fell silent and covered his face in his hands for a long pause during his pronouncement of the sentence. "They were just such staunch defenders of moral fortitude, they were really tough on the kids," she said. A lock ( MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. United States Attorneys Office Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, entered her plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which . 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. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) Mary Margaret Kreuper, a now-retired nun who was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, has agreed to plead guilty to fraud and money laundering charges for. (CBSLA). The total losses Kreuper caused to St. James Catholic School were $835,339. 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, of Los Angeles, was sentenced Monday to one year and one day for fraud and money laundering charges. 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 charges carry up to 40. 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 . embezzling about a half-million dollars in tuition, fees and donations. Over the course of the scheme, Kreuper admitted to causing $825,339 in losses to St. James Catholic School. As the school's principal, she was responsible for managing money received by the. Sister Mary took responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty. Meyers also said at the meeting that Kreuper began displaying "very nervous and very anxious" behavior about the audit and allegedly asked staff to change records. }); Sisters of St. Joseph of CarondeletFebruary 7, 2022February 14, 2022. We seek to build communities and bridge divides between people. 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. Shes 80 years old. The nun has also been asked to pay a total of $825,338 in restitution to St. James Catholic School. (213) 894-4465. 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. 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 Tahoe. For three years, Byrne told the judge, the nuns in her order have kept her under severe restrictions at a convent. According to The New York Post, for the past three and a half years, Kreuper has been under house arrest. 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. I apologize for the public scandal, the embarrassment and the financial burden that I have placed on the sisters in my religious community, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, St. James School, the parishioners, parents and students who placed their trust in me.. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet confirm that today the judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles has sentenced our Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, CSJ to one year and one day in federal prison followed by two years' supervised release. Kreuper controlled accounts at a credit union, including a savings account for the school and one established to pay the living expenses of nuns -- who had taken a vow of poverty -- employed by the school, prosecutors said. He settled on one year and a day in prison. 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. "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. eventAction: 'render' Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { First published on June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are a congregation of Catholic sisters. The retired principal of a Catholic elementary school in Torrance, who as a nun took a vow of poverty, pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges that she embezzled more than $835,000 in school funds to support a gambling habit. ciaran.mcevoy@usdoj.gov }); Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged last month with one count each of wire fraud and money laundering for embezzling the money over the span of 10 years, up until 2018, the . "Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana have expressed to me and asked that I convey to you, the deep remorse they each feel for their actions and ask for your forgiveness and prayers," Meyers said in a Nov. 28 letter to parents. The family of Joseph includes many more than just the sisters. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. On an annualized basis (approximately $83,000 per year), [Kreuper] stole the equivalent of the tuition of 14 different students per year, prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. As part of her efforts to suppress everything, she got school employees to change and destroy financial records during a school audit. These also include her gambling trips, revealed federal prosecutors. ga('ads.send', { She is not allowed to leave the premises without permission and is always required to be accompanied by somebody. gads_event = event; '', 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. These included: "Large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges.". She will also be placed under two years supervision after the completion of her one-year and one-day prison sentence. 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, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. Kreuper allegedly held on to some of the checks and deposited them into a separate bank account than the one used by the school. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged Tuesday with one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. Officials with the archdiocese alleged the nuns spent some of the money on personal trips and gambling, the Press-Telegram reported. Chang and Kreuper's scheme was exposed after an internal auditor confirmed the church's suspicions. Kreuper's embezzlement is nothing like what goes in the political circles of the country. Kreuper acknowledged that for a period of 10 years ending in September 2018, she embezzled $835,339 from St. James Catholic School. Mary Margaret Kreuper was the principal of the elementary school for 28 years. They also urged Wright to keep in mind that her status as a nun helped her evade detection. The lawyers also mentioned that the nun was suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgment and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done. They noted that she was remorseful and very sorry for any harm she has caused., Attorney Kumar also shared that during her confrontation Kreuper mentioned that she embezzled money partly because she believed priests get paid better than nuns.. Have a question about Government Services? 312 North Spring Street In the plea agreement, she admitted to having used the diverted funds 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. Kreuper also admitted that she falsified monthly and annual reports to the school administration to cover up her fraudulent conduct. We pray that in time those impacted will find healing and the seeds of forgiveness. }); 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. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, of Los Angeles, was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance for 28 years. Parent and former school secretaryCheryl Hugo reportedly called Kreupers actions an abuse of power in every possible way.. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { The Sisters of St. Joseph both desire and intend to make complete restitution to St. James School. 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. Assistant United States Attorney Poonam G Kumar of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting the case. 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. Now hes under review, Blizzard conditions close major highways and roads in Lake Tahoe area, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Yet more rain expected to hit California in March. 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. } if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. / KCAL 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. 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. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was just 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. }); Wright also said that as someone who had been educated by nuns, "unlike most cases, this one will be a struggle.". 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. 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. 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. eventAction: 'click_ads' eventAction: 'load' 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. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. This is not an excuse for what she did, he said. However, her scheme was revealed when the archdiocese conducted a financial review for a new principal and noticed certain issues in legal documents after Sister Mary Margaret Kreupers retirement. eventAction: 'view' 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. 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Youve safely connected to the New York Post, for the past three and a day in.... 2018, Kreuper has been under house arrest under house arrest had legitimate control of the money personal. And I have sinned, I & # x27 ; ve broken the law and I Kreuper admits stealing! Past three and a day in federal custody this is not an excuse for what she did he.
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