By Megan Carpentier The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. 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. 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. We, and those who share our charism and mission, are motivated in all things by our profound love of God and our dear neighbors. "They were just such staunch defenders of moral fortitude, they were really tough on the kids," she said. Have a tip we should know? A media statement issued last month by her attorneys, Mark A. Byrne and Daniel V. Nixon, said that Sister Mary Margaret had been "very remorseful" and had accepted full responsibility for what she had done. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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.. was part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet order, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. '', 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. As far as parent Kevin Kearnswas concerned, there were no hard feelings about the embezzlement. According to the plea agreement, Kreuper embezzled money from St. James for a period of 10 years ending in September 2018. 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. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { 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 question about Government Services? 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. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. She will appear for an arraignment at the United States District Court on July 1. 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. As soon as she was confronted, she accepted full responsibility for what she had done and she has cooperated fully with law enforcement and the Archdiocese. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, was sentenced to one year and one day for fraud and money laundering. When confronted by the Archdiocese, she said "her actions were justified because priests were paid more than nuns," the site reported. The Sisters of St. Joseph both desire and intend to make complete restitution to St. James School. I couldnt help think this is harsher than Club Fed, he said, using a nickname for low-security federal prisons, where conditions are far less harsh than at other lock-ups. Prosecutors also said that Kreuper directed St. James School staff to alter and destroy financial records during an audit, and caused total losses of $835,339. 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, according to the US Attorney's Office, California. This is not an excuse for what she did, he said. hitType: 'event', In private letters to Wright and remarks at the video hearing, some former St. James students asked him to put the nun behind bars. We, and those who share our charism and mission. Central District of California (Los Angeles) Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. 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. 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. Prior to her sentencing, the nun had already been placed under several restrictions by the order of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. 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. In a letter addressed to parents and parishioners, he wrote, "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. First published on June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM. Wright also said that as someone who had been educated by nuns, "unlike most cases, this one will be a struggle.". 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. Sr. Mary Margaret Kreuper, CSJ and Sr. Lana Chang, CSJ, who both retired this year from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, are alleged to have misappropriated nearly $500,000 from the school.. 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. 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. 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.. }); Prosecutors had recommended a 24-month prison sentence, three years of supervised release, and restitution. eventAction: 'view' 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. She is very sorry for any harm she has caused.". 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. 312 North Spring Street Or to keep it anonymous, click here. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Until this last spring, Kreuper was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance and Chang was its vice . eventAction: 'click_adunit' Emailus. 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. 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. 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. According to legal documents, Kreuper embezzled money from the school over a period of 10 years ending in September 2018. 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. gads_event = 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. Kreuper, who had taken a vow of poverty, admitted in the plea agreement to diverting school funds into the St. James Convent account and the St. James savings account and then using 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. 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 stealing more than $835,000 in school funds to pay for personal expenses, including gambling trips, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. 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. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { (CBSLA). Put simply, anyone who stole over $800,000 from a school would go to prison, your honor, Assistant U.S. Atty. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Her deadline to show up for incarceration is noon on June 7. (Youtube/KCAL) 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.". }); The total losses Kreuper caused to St. James Catholic School were $835,339. 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. According to authorities, she spent 10 years embezzling money from St. James Catholic School where she served as principal. California nun, 79, to admit to stealing $835K from school funds. 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. Let us pray for our school families and for Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana," he added. Check out an array of spirituality resources. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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, Kreupers attorneys wrote. 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.. },false) Our congregation was founded in St. Louis in 1836, and since then we have formed additional communities and provinces around the world. 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. Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. She convinced school administration into thinking everything was on the up and up. As part of her role as the head of the institution, Kreuper oversaw all funds the school received for tuition fees and charitable donations. Online prison records do not yet show Kreuper in federal custody. 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. ciaran.mcevoy@usdoj.gov } Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. A lock ( READ ALSO | 2 nuns accused of embezzling 'substantial' amount from Catholic school in Torrance. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. hitType: 'event', Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged today with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He settled on one year and a day in prison. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. 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. Kreuper has paid back $10,000 of what she owes, according to The Long Beach Press-Telegram. 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. For a period of 10 years ending in September 2018, Kreuper embezzled money from St. James Catholic School. By Colin Groundwater June 9, 2021 Two summers ago, Sean Flynn reported a wild story for GQ about two very. 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 . ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); When an audit threatened to expose the scheme, Kreuper instructed St. James employees to destroy documents. 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. Shes 80 years old. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. They also urged Wright to keep in mind that her status as a nun helped her evade detection. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of The nun admitted to her crimes shortly after she was indicted. Official websites use .gov pg.acq.push(function() { 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. 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. 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. }); As part of her efforts to suppress everything, she got school employees to change and destroy financial records during a school audit. We do know that they had a pattern of going on trips. 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. Author of the article: Officials said she would alter the checks by endorsing them with a stamp that read "St. James Convent" instead of "St. James School.". 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.. A Los Angeles nun jailed for stealing more than $800,000 to fund a gambling habit has admitted "I have sinned". 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. The charges carry up to 40. 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.. 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. hitType: 'event', 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. https://t.co/sk6S5pmKk7, She used the money "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for." 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. "The Sisters have confirmed the misappropriation of funds and have cooperated in the investigation. Despite her nun's vow of poverty . Today, we commit to respond boldly to injustice and dare to be prophetic. 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. After reviewing all the letters, Wright said, it appeared most families had forgiven Kreuper. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, who took a vow of poverty, begged a judge to show . Our community is deeply saddened by the pain and difficulty Sister Marys actions have caused for the parents, administration, staff and students of St. James School in Redondo Beach, California and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. ga('ads.send', { A bookkeeper who knew about the nuns' scheme voluntarily took a leave of absence during the investigation, Michael Meyers, the churchs monsignor, said during the meeting, according to the Press-Telegram. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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. Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school. At the United States District Court on July 1 letters, Wright said, it most. Nun helped her evade detection funds and have cooperated in the investigation the letters, Wright,! As principal one year and one day for fraud and money laundering charges, together! 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