Pilfering Florida priest stole $800,000 dollars in donations for gambling trips, rare coins
Arizona Coin Collector
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gfYYWg_Zz9Q-RiIAH0zJvCNKJmXQ
Pilfering Florida priest stole donations for gambling trips
01/21/09, 1 hour ago
DELRAY BEACH, Florida (AFP) - In what could be
the biggest embezzlement case to hit the US
Catholic Church, a Florida priest pleaded guilty
Wednesday to embezzling 800,000 dollars of
donations to fund a very unholy lifestyle.
John Skehan pleaded guilty to taking the money
placed every Sunday into the collection plates to
use instead on buying luxury homes, gambling
trips to Las Vegas and buying rare coins. >
His pleas came in a last minute twist as he and
fellow priest Francis Guinan of the St. Vincent
Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach were
about to go on trial. He now faces up to 31 years
behind bars.
The priests allegedly used the money to open
offshore accounts to fund their lavish, and
not-so-saintly, lifestyles.
As parishioners tossed their dollars into the
offering plate every Sunday morning, they had no
idea their contributions were headed directly
into the pockets of the priests who hid the cash
in the church ceiling tiles.
According to the authorities, Guinan, 66, had
an "intimate" relationship with a former church
book-keeper and much of the stolen cash was used
to support his mistress and take her on luxury
vacations.
Skehan's attorney Scott Richardson said he and
the state had reached an "amicable resolution and
that "Father Skehan accepted responsibility for
his actions by virtue of his guilty plea."
"It's been extraordinarily difficult for him from
the beginning," Richardson said after the hearing.
"But he has the support of many people, many of
whom will speak on his behalf."
Due to the statute of limitations the priests can
only be charged with any thefts that occurred
after 2001 though authorities speculate that close
to eight million dollars may have been stolen over
the last 20 years.
Guinan's attorney, Richard Barlow, insists his
client did nothing wrong and that the money Guinan
is accused of stealing was used to make cash
payments to church employees.
"Just because both priests worked at the same church
and one pleads guilty it doesn't mean my guy is
guilty," Barlow said.
Guinan's trial has now been adjourned until
February 18.
Skehan was arrested at Palm Beach International
Airport in September 2006 returning from Ireland. He
and Guinan had fled the country after the church
began an investigation into "alleged improprieties"
at St. Vincents as well as an audit of the
church books.
His defense will be allowed to call over 20
witnesses to speak at Skehan's sentencing hearing
scheduled for March 20.
Though the guidelines require a minimum of 22
months and up to 31 years the judge will have sole
discretion to impose the length of the sentence.
..
Mr. Jaggers
> FROM:
> http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gfYYWg_Zz9Q-RiIAH0zJvCNKJmXQ
>
> Pilfering Florida priest stole donations for gambling trips
>
> 01/21/09, 1 hour ago
>
> DELRAY BEACH, Florida (AFP) - In what could be
> the biggest embezzlement case to hit the US
> Catholic Church, a Florida priest pleaded guilty
> Wednesday to embezzling 800,000 dollars of
> donations to fund a very unholy lifestyle.
>
> John Skehan pleaded guilty to taking the money
> placed every Sunday into the collection plates to
> use instead on buying luxury homes, gambling
> trips to Las Vegas and buying rare coins. >
Not entirely unlike several evangelists who will remain nameless.
James
James Weston
angles, so we should be able to understand why he strayed from the path of
righteousness
"Arizona Coin Collector" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:qbqdnS1-RbG4XOrU...@earthlink.com...
oly
> Arizona Coin Collector wrote:
> > FROM:
>
> > Pilfering Florida priest stole donations for gambling trips
>
> > 01/21/09, 1 hour ago
>
> > DELRAY BEACH, Florida (AFP) - In what could be
> > the biggest embezzlement case to hit the US
> > Catholic Church, a Florida priest pleaded guilty
> > Wednesday to embezzling 800,000 dollars of
> > donations to fund a very unholy lifestyle.
>
> > John Skehan pleaded guilty to taking the money
> > placed every Sunday into the collection plates to
> > use instead on buying luxury homes, gambling
> > trips to Las Vegas and buying rare coins. >
>
> Not entirely unlike several evangelists who will remain nameless.
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
Unfortunately, there is absolutely ZERO information in article about
the coins. Zip - ZERO - nada - rien.
However, around the world, the recent rash of financial embezzlements
and related suicides is remarkable. And also expected, after a world-
wide financial bubble bursts.
oly
Mr. Jaggers
The embezzlement had to have been in progress for a long time to rack up
$800k, be detected, and make its way to trial. Why or how would the bubble
burst have any effect on this?
James
oly
It may or may not, in this case. This South Florida case sounds like
an instance where some accident probably uncovered the fraud (maybe
the HVAC man came into fix the cooling system and removed a ceiling
panel where a pile of cash fell out), or perhaps a confession by one
of the priests or girlfriend (girlfriend, thank God) occured first.
However, after a financial bubble bursts, many more audits are
typically ordered, audits become more thorough and the level of
professional "distrust" mounts in the business world. Also, the
bursting of a financial bubble removes any likelihood that the
embezzler or the overextended can ever repay and their efforts to mask
their crime(s) or financial conditon, are such efforts are finally
given up in frustration.
My second paragraph was more of an "aside" pointing people in the
direction of current news...
oly
PC
"oly" <oly...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:0ff6ddbb-af03-49f7...@r36g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
However, around the world, the recent rash of financial embezzlements
and related suicides is remarkable. And also expected, after a world-
wide financial bubble bursts.
>>>
It sure says a lot about the frailty of the super rich. There are countless
numbers of people who have to drag themselves to work a field or mine every
damn day yet still finds joy in life whereas those who are leading a charmed
life can not possibly cope with the fact they may have to live like 99% of
everyone else who is living or has ever lived.
I would never commit suicide over financial ruin. What a bunch of cowards.
Paul Ciszek
In article <gl9e1...@enews2.newsguy.com>,
"Recessions catch what the auditors miss."
--
Please reply to: | "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is
pciszek at panix dot com | indistinguishable from malice."
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James Weston
"Arizona Coin Collector" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
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