Most of the funds she blew on gambling trips to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe with. We do know that they had a pattern of going on trips. 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. At the same time, prosecutors filed a plea agreement in which Kreuper agreed to plead guilty to the two charges, which carry a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in federal prison. In conjunction with the criminal information, prosecutors filed a plea . 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. Church officials previously said they did not want to press criminal charges against the nuns. "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. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. 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. June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM Kreuper also directed St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. As a Catholic nun, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. Retired nun Mary Margaret Kreuper, admitted to stealing money from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. }); He is a priest in the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and a former president of the Canadian Canon Law Society. ", 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. Chang was a teacher for about 20 years and also recently served as vice principal. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Our congregation was founded in St. Louis in 1836, and since then we have formed additional communities and provinces around the world. eventAction: 'click_ads' He settled on one year and a day in prison. }); Mary Margaret Kreuper was the principal of the elementary school for 28 years. 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. Now Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, is set to spend a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release. According to legal documents, Kreuper embezzled money from the school over a period of 10 years ending in September 2018. 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. You can be proud of that, he said. U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II has set sentencing for February 7, 2022, when he would expect her to make a statement. Sister Mary Margaret, 77, was a pillar of the community who spent 29 years as the principal of St. James Catholic School. (213) 894-4465. Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged today with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. ", 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.". Not all of the years appear to have involved alleged financial crimes. }); 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. Despite her vow of poverty, a California nun embezzled funds from the Roman Catholic school she ran in order to fund her gambling habit, according to federal prosecutors. ga('ads.send', { document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ 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. California nun, 79, to admit to stealing $835K from school funds. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was just 18 years old when she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. 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. Official websites use .gov Put simply, anyone who stole over $800,000 from a school would go to prison, your honor, Assistant U.S. Atty. Kreuper pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. She is very sorry for any harm she has caused.". They and their order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the 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.". window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. Your login session has expired. By Megan Carpentier The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. 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. 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. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. Explore the variety of ways to be a part of our community. She reportedly claimed, after she was caught by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, that she "used the money to travel, eat out with friends and gamble in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and Temecula," the site reported. One former student said Kreuper violated her trust and contributed to her decision to leave the Catholic Church. 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. While at the organization, she was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. "The Sisters have confirmed the misappropriation of funds and have cooperated in the investigation. 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. "I don't look at nuns as ordinary people," he said, according to FOX 6. Kreuper, who as a nun had taken a vow of poverty, diverted school funds into the St. James Convent Account and the St. James Savings Account and then 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, according to court documents. Love of God is at the heart of our charism. ", The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet to which the Chang and Kreuper belonged to had released a statement after their scheme came to light in 2018. The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this matter. The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the Torrance Police Department, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), She pleaded guilty last July to one count . At least I hope you do.. "We. 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. Author of the article: document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ https://t.co/sk6S5pmKk7, She used the money "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for." Though the statutory maximum on those two charges was 40 years, prosecutors asked that she serve two, according to Courthouse News, and the judge in the case sentenced the senior citizen to just 12 months. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. 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