2 priests at Delray, FL church accused of misappropriating $8.6 million

[seafan]

2 priests at Delray church accused of misappropriating $8.6 million

By Jerome Burdi
September 28, 2006


John Skehan
(PBSO)
Sep 28, 2006

DELRAY BEACH – Two priests at a local parish were accused on Thursday of stealing more that $8.6 million from offering baskets and cash gifts to St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church over the past 40 years.

Arrested on a grand theft charge was retired Monsignor John Skehan, 79, a priest and later pastor at St. Vincent for about 40 years. He was arrested at Palm Beach International Airport Wednesday night after returning from Ireland. His bond has been set at $400,000.

His successor as pastor of St. Vincent about three years ago, the Rev. Francis Guinan, is being sought on a similar grand theft charge, police said.

Police allege Skehan misappropriated about $8.6 million during his tenure at the church, 810 George Bush Blvd. Detectives said he used the cash to buy property and other assets.

Guinan was also accused of misappropriating about $400,000 in cash from offering baskets and church gifts and using the money to travel or gamble in Las Vegas or the Bahamas.

Both are accused of setting up slush funds to handle the cash.

snip

[bluerum]

1. In the finest papal tradition.

on edit - Ok,,, they got caught. Second best.

[Sanity Claws]

2. Theft treated more seriously than pedophilia

They were arrested meaning the Church filed a criminal complaint. The Church did not do that when they received reports of pedophilia.

[Blue_Tires]

3. "810 George Bush Blvd.??????"

you can't make this up if you tried

[tkmorris]

14. It's true

I have to drive on that damnable road sometimes, when I go out near the beach. It is one of the few that cross the Intracoastal Waterway.

Religious leaders stealing money on George Bush Blvd seems strangely apropos does it not?

[Lance_Boyle]

4. Jeebus.

Folks, it yer god-talkers are asking you for money, you maybe oughta question who they're really working for.

[seafan]

5. Even more of this sordid story:

More from the Miami Herald:

Delray Beach police alleged that they skimmed cash from the offertory and used the money for personal profit.
Former pastors John Skehan and Francis Guinan were both charged with grand theft over $100,000.
''These guys lived the life they told everyone else not to live ñ and they lived it on everyone else's dime,'' police spokesman officer Jeff Messer said. ``And one of the seven deadly sins is greed.''
Skehan, 79, was arrested Wednesday night at Palm Beach International Airport on a flight from Ireland, where he reportedly owned property.

snip

A warrant has been issued for Guinan, detectives said.
''They are professional money launderers,'' Whatley said. ``They knew how to do it.''
The investigation started more than a year ago when a concerned parishioner - concerned that the Diocese of Palm Beach would keep the theft a secret - sent an anonymous letter to Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer's office.
An accounting firm, hired by the diocese, conducted a forensic audit of Skehan and Guinan's numerous bank accounts.

Skehan reportedly deposited nearly $1.6 million in four banks accounts in cash, donation checks written by congregants, donated stock sales from the building fund and bequeathed money, according to his arrest report.
He used $134,075 to pay for his alleged lover's expenses, gave $11,688 to family members and used another $268,630 for personal expenses, including car payments, dental work, property taxes, credit card payments and condo association fees, according to the report.
But he also used some of the money to help pay church expenses, Whatley said

snip

Guinan is alleged to have spent at least $90,000 of it on airline, hotels and restaurants in Las Vegas and the Bahamas, according to Mike Driscoll, special agent supervisor for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which assisted in the investigation.
The investigation also found that he spent money on dental and medical expenses, decorating his home and paying the Cardinal Newman High School tuition for his alleged lover's son, according to the report.

''The allegations against them involving this grand theft is sinful,'' FDLE special agent in charge Amos Rojas said. ``These two individuals really betrayed not only their own church and their parishioners but those people that they were really ordained to help ñ the ones who can't help themselves.''

[Ian David]

11. $134,075 to pay for alleged lover's expenses..$11,688 to family members...

Wouldn't ya know it?

You think those family members are the same "pro-family" and godly people who signed the petition to ban gay marriage?

http://www.knowthyneighbor.org/florida/index.php?first_name=&last_name=Skehan+&street_address=&county=&searchMode=&sortBy=last_name&sortDir=ASC&page=1&anchor=list&state_code=fl#list

[TlalocW]

6. Message coming in from Bill Donohue of the Catholic Leaue

"I'm sick and tired of all this anti-Catholic crime-busting that these pin-head cops think they can get away with. It's punks like these aided and abetted by your Penn Jillettes, abortionists, and hollywood Jew homos that need to be made to answer for their anti-Catholic bigotry!"

TlalocW

[Sherman A1]

7. It is always

all about the money.....

More Liars and Thieves

[valerief]

8. It's not taxable so why should the government care?

Just curious.

[Ian David]

9. $8.6 Millions is almost as much as you'd need to pay ME to give-up sex

Somehow, I don't imagine these guys took any of their vows seriously.

[stepnw1f]

10. Geeee..... Right Wing Religious Folk are Corrupt?

:sarcasm:

[sarcasmo]

12. Snake oil salesman at it again. I wonder how much of this goes unreported.

[niallmac]

13. I learned of this on BBC. Can't find it on CNN.

I sometimes wonder how they decide what is news. Maybe I just don't know how to search the CNN site but should I have to search for this story?