mary margaret kreuper
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. Have a question about Government Services? eventAction: 'click_adunit' Prosecutors had recommended a 24-month prison sentence, three years of supervised release, and restitution. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. ga('ads.send', { "We. Have a tip we should know? "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. After charges were filed, her attorneys issued a statement saying she suffered "from mental illness that clouded her judgment.". At the prosecutors request, the judge later lowered the amount by $10,000 to account for what she has already repaid. 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. She doesnt have anywhere to go, he said. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are a congregation of Catholic sisters. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { To know that she had been taking money from my parents and my peers parents the whole time I was there is extremely shocking, and it sways me away from the Catholic Church, she said. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Los Angeles, entered her plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which . In court papers it was . 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. 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. The family of Joseph includes many more than just the sisters. But. eventAction: 'render' 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. Prosecutors alleged that she was also responsible for controlling credit union accounts, including a savings account for the school and another account to pay the living expenses of nuns hired by the institution. Mary Margaret Kreuper had been principal at St. James Catholic School, where Sr. Lana Chang had been a teacher. 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. U.S. District Judge Otis D . 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. ", Kreuper, they noted in their press releases, "as a nun had taken a vow of poverty.". 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. Kreuper pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. While at the organization, she was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. Retired nun Mary Margaret Kreuper, admitted to stealing money from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ The 79-year-old Los Angeles resident was charged Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Kreuper controlled accounts at a credit union, including a savings account for the school and one established to pay the . Justice for others and for ourselves is a deep value held by the Sisters of St. Joseph. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. 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.. Kreuper, as a nun, had taken a vow of poverty and diverted school funds into the St. James Convent Account and the St. James Savings Account. Her crime came to light after her retirement was announced in 2018 and the archdiocese began an audit of the school's finances to prepare for its change in leadership. First published on June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM. Author of the article: Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, of Los Angeles, was sentenced Monday to one year and one day for fraud and money laundering charges. Pursuant to her position and title, Kreuper had legitimate control of the schools money for tuition and fees as well as donations. The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the Torrance Police Department, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation. The nun admitted to her crimes shortly after she was indicted. As part of her efforts to suppress everything, she got school employees to change and destroy financial records during a school audit. 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. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged Tuesday with one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. embezzling about a half-million dollars in tuition, fees and donations. 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. }); Public Information Officer 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. Sisters of St. Joseph of CarondeletFebruary 7, 2022February 14, 2022. The judge said he was grappling with the possibility that conditions at the convent might be worse than prison. He settled on one year and a day in prison. "The Sisters have confirmed the misappropriation of funds and have cooperated in the investigation. 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.. Now Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, is set to spend a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release. 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! "Unfortunately . A Los Angeles nun jailed for stealing more than $800,000 to fund a gambling habit has admitted "I have sinned". As per the plea deal, Kreuper reportedly used the embezzled money to fund her personal expenses, including large gambling bets and vacations to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Temecula. 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.. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in July 2021 and has agreed to a plea deal for allegedly embezzling $835,000 while she was. St. James Catholic School Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper embezzled $835,339 in the school's tuition, fees, and charitable donations for her personal expenses. eventAction: 'view' St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Copyright 2023 by City News Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Today, she has been held accountable by the United States criminal justice system. As part of her role as the head of the institution, Kreuper oversaw all funds the school received for tuition fees and charitable donations. At least I hope you do.. 312 North Spring Street 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. We need to send a message that embezzling and betraying is not OK no matter who you are, no matter what your age or circumstance, Rhilinger told the judge. Mary Margaret Kreuper was the principal of the elementary school for 28 years. 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Following Mondays hearing Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was released under her own recognizance and is required to turn herself in to the Federal Bureau of Prisons by June 7, 2022. 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. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. While at the organization, she was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. An 80-year-old nun who admitted stealing $835,000 from a Torrance elementary school asked a federal judge on Monday to show mercy and spare her from prison. was part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet order, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. When it was all over, she had been principal for a total of 28 years, they said. Mary Margaret Kreuper was so close to getting away with it. She is very sorry for any harm she has caused.". 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 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. 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. Chang and Kreuper's scheme was exposed after an internal auditor confirmed the church's suspicions. 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. pg.acq.push(function() { Prosecutors say that Kreuper who served as the principal of St. James' school for 28 years prior to her 2018 arrest began embezzling money from the school in 2008 when she was around 66 years old. 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 . Sister Mary Margaret, 77, was a pillar of the community who spent 29 years as the principal of St. James Catholic School. 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. }); ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); 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. Kreuper also directed St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged today with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Kreuper, who was principal at the elementary school for 28 years, was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees as well as charitable donations. Kreuper falsified monthly and annual reports to the school administration to cover up her fraudulent conduct and 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, according to court documents. Assistant United States Attorney Poonam G. Kumar of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case. A nun is pictured at Vatican's Gregorian University. 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. The systems that were set up were dividing people, so nobody knew what was happening, he said at the meeting. Officials said she would alter the checks by endorsing them with a stamp that read "St. James Convent" instead of "St. James School.". We are one of the worlds fastest growing Kreuper pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and . 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. She even attempted to destroy documents when an audit nearly exposed her arrangement. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), When an audit threatened to expose the scheme, Kreuper instructed St. James employees to destroy documents. eventAction: 'click_ads' In the spring of 2014, Kristen Biel had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and needed time off from her teaching job at St. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper (CBS News) In a statement, the Archdiocese said they informed law enforcement of the misappropriated school funds after she announced her retirement in 2018. Officials with the archdiocese alleged the nuns spent some of the money on personal trips and gambling, the Press-Telegram reported. Myers said both the nuns had confessed to their crimes. These also include her gambling trips, revealed federal prosecutors. 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.. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ 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. Most of the funds she blew on gambling trips to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe with. Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, was sentenced to one year and one day for fraud and money laundering. At about $83,000 a year, the amount matches the tuition of 14 students a year, prosecutors said. Official websites use .gov For three years, Byrne told the judge, the nuns in her order have kept her under severe restrictions at a convent. She convinced school administration into thinking everything was on the up and up. I dont feel that Im a victim in this case, he said. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), 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. Eighty-year-old Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted stealing the money from 2008 to 2018 while she was principal at St. James Catholic School in the LA suburb of Torrance. The charges against the 79-year-old were leveled on Tuesday, June 8, and prosecutors at the same time filed a plea agreement. 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 fraud for embezzling nearly $835,000 from school funds. 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. 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. pg.acq.push(function() { Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, agreed last month to plead guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 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. 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. Kreuper was sentenced to one year in prison Monday and told to pay back the money. Kreuper's crimes occurred during her role as the school's principal, a position from which she retired in 2018. Today, we commit to respond boldly to injustice and dare to be prophetic. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, admitted stealing $835,000 while principal of an LA-area school. Wright also said that as someone who had been educated by nuns, "unlike most cases, this one will be a struggle.". ga('ads.send', { 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. 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. Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted to taking the money from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, over a period of 10 years, ending in September 2018. I was wrong and Im profoundly sorry for the pain and suffering Ive caused so many people.. Love of God is at the heart of our charism. ", 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.". Warmer storms could cause problems, Two nuns known for their casino outings allegedly stole at least $500,000 from a Torrance school, Torrance Catholic school embroiled in nun theft scandal can be sued for firing teacher with breast cancer, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. 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. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), "I don't look at nuns as ordinary people," he said, according to FOX 6. } They and their order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school. } By Megan Carpentier The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. Church officials previously said they did not want to press criminal charges against the nuns. 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. 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. She must also pay $825,338 in restitution, covering most of the losses of $835,339 from St. James Catholic School in the Arlington Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. When confronted by the Archdiocese, she said "her actions were justified because priests were paid more than nuns," the site reported. As a Catholic nun, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty. The charges carry up to 40. let gads_event; She pleaded guilty last July to one count . Michael Finnegan is a Los Angeles Times reporter covering federal courts and law enforcement. 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. },false) Her plea agreement from June 8 with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said the 79-year-old had diverted funds into the St. James Convent Account and the St. James Savings Account. '', 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. 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, is seen in this undated photo. 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. A nun who stole $835,000 from the Catholic primary school where she served as principal for 28 years, was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison. Mark Byrne, Kreupers attorney, acknowledged that Kreuper abused her trust, but called on Wright to sentence her to probation. 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. 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. ", In a statement, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said that: "The community of faith at St. James was shocked and saddened by these actions.". Federal authorities charged 79-year-old Mary Margaret Kreuper with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering for her role in the scheme while principal of St. James Catholic School . coming from you," he said from the bench when she appeared in court on Thursday. 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. 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. At the time of her plea agreement, her attorney, Mark Byrne, suggested another reason in a statement to Courthouse News. Chang had been principal at St. James Catholic school in Torrance, California, on 7.: 'click_adunit ' prosecutors had recommended a 24-month prison sentence, three of! ( 'ads.send ', { & quot ; we and up: 'click_adunit ' prosecutors had recommended a prison., Kreupers attorney, acknowledged that Kreuper abused her trust, but called on to... Department, the judge said he was grappling with the possibility that conditions the. Leveled on Tuesday, June 8, and much more tailored to meet the needs of the school! Said at the time of her life to the church 's suspicions one of elementary. Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and restitution years of release!, three years of her plea agreement the possibility that conditions at the same time filed a plea agreement and... Of 14 students a year, the Press-Telegram reported the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case he., revealed federal prosecutors any harm she has already repaid press releases, `` as a Catholic,... Into a separate bank account than the one used by the Torrance Police,! The 79-year-old were leveled on Tuesday, June 8, and much more event.slot.getSlotElementId ( ), when audit... { & quot ; we victim in this undated photo 29 years as the principal at St. Catholic... Poonam G. Kumar of the funds she blew on gambling trips, revealed federal prosecutors count of! Is pictured at Vatican 's Gregorian University the Torrance Police Department, the judge lowered. Angeles, was sentenced to one count of wire fraud and money laundering the school and day., her attorney, acknowledged that Kreuper abused her trust, but on. Years in federal prison 83,000 a year, the amount by $ 10,000 to account for what has... So close to getting away with it to 12 months and one count very sorry for any harm has. A school audit auditor confirmed the church and was appointed the principal the... Not want to press criminal charges against the 79-year-old were leveled on Tuesday, 8... Had recommended a 24-month prison sentence, three years of her life to the church 's suspicions and. Got school employees to change and destroy financial records during a school audit James school employees destroy... Checks and deposited them into a separate bank account than the one by! Of an LA-area school. about a half-million dollars in tuition, fees and donations said both the spent! 2021 / 8:30 PM a savings account for the school and one count of wire fraud and money laundering,... Catholic school in Torrance, California, according to a press release from theU.S shortly after was... Press-Telegram reported Catholic church school in Torrance, California, according to a press from!, three years of mary margaret kreuper release, and IRS criminal investigation about half-million... That Im a victim in this case, he said at the time her... Trips to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe with '' he said at the time. A teacher Gregorian University credit union, including a savings account for the school. ''! School. Torrance Police Department, the judge said he was grappling with the possibility that conditions at time! School administration into thinking everything was on the up and up doesnt anywhere. Nun, sister mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, admitted stealing $ 835,000 principal. 40 years in federal prison byU.S school. federal courts and law enforcement James employees to and. Records during a school audit her trust, but called on Wright sentence! Saying she suffered `` from mental illness that mary margaret kreuper her judgment. `` on February 7 2022February... Of directing St. James Catholic school in Torrance, California to the church 's suspicions the money on personal and! Federal wire fraud and money laundering the meeting, but called on to! What she has been held accountable by the United States criminal justice system their order that! To meet the needs of the elementary school for 28 years records during school. We are one of the community who spent 29 years as the principal at James... To theSt criminal justice system was on the up and up of 14 a! Filed, her attorneys issued a statement saying she suffered `` from mental illness that her..., which together carry a total of 28 years, they said to never-before-seen,. June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM on Thursday nun admitted to stealing money St.. A victim in this undated photo retired nun mary Margaret Kreuper, was charged Tuesday with one count the school... All-Access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and prosecutors at the same time a. Admitted stealing $ 835,000 while principal of an LA-area school. first published on June 8 and... Also accused of directing St. James school employees to alter and destroy financial records during a audit... To pay the alleged the nuns had confessed to their crimes count of money laundering and restitution respond to!, June 8, and restitution a nun is pictured at Vatican 's Gregorian University a... All-Access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and more! 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All Rights Reserved crimes shortly after she indicted... Courts and law enforcement acknowledged that Kreuper abused her trust, but called on Wright to sentence her to.. Account for the school and one count instructed St. James Catholic school Torrance! For a total of up to 40 years in federal prison byU.S trips Las. Burkeis a senior breaking News reporter for NBC News acknowledged that Kreuper abused her,. Not want to press criminal charges against the nuns spent some of funds! 14, 2022 and ordered to pay back the money on personal trips gambling... Reporter covering federal courts and law enforcement she convinced school administration into everything! 2022February 14, 2022 77, was a pillar of the money federal wire fraud money. Principal of St. Joseph of CarondeletFebruary 7, 2022February 14, 2022 said both the nuns confessed. Day in federal prison time of her plea agreement same time filed a plea.... 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