", "Just as teaching science out of a fifth-grade textbook doesn't make them scientists, teaching religion for 40 minutes a day out of a workbook doesn't make them ministers," he says. Months after Kreuper admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars, the 80-year-old was sentenced on Monday to a year and a day in federal prison. You can be proud of that, he said. When staff members finally found the check, they realized that it was not deposited in a St. James account, but a different bank account. But the court's eventual decision could reach beyond teachers, affecting the lives of millions of other employees who work for religiously affiliated institutions. Kreuper became principal at St. James Catholic School in 1990, a position she held for 28 years until her retirement in September 2018. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79,of Los Angeles, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday for defraudingSt. James Catholic Schoolover a period of 10 years. Margaret Mary Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang were accused of embezzling tuition, fees, and donations made in favor of St. James Catholic School to fund their gambling trips (Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet) Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. Officials made the discovery in June after performing a routine audit following Kreupers retirement. They say she also instructed employees at the school to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit, investigators found. The first teacher, Agnes Morrissey-Berru, claimed her employment contract was not renewed after 16 years service because of illegal age discrimination. The 80-year-old nun also was ordered to pay a total of. It wasnt until the house of cards came crashing down that she realized what she had done and started to go therapy, where she realized this addiction was a contributing factor. In 2012, the Supreme Court sought to answer that question, agreeing unanimously that a fourth-grade teacher who was commissioned as a minister could not sue over her firing by a Lutheran school. Kobe Bryant's widow awarded nearly $29m after police shared photos of helicopter crash, Doctors recommend end-of-life decision for Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore, Ramon Escobar: Serial murderer suspected of killing prison inmate. She would endorse the checks with a stamp saying St. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang were seen as two of the strictest nuns at St James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged Tuesday with wire fraud and money laundering for ripping off St. James Catholic School for a period of 10 years ending in September 2018, according to . We do know they had a pattern of going to casinos, and the reality is, they used the account as their personal account, an attorney told parents and alumni at Mondays meeting. In these records you will find the most recent and the most authoritative articles on the topics, people and events that are shaping the . In a statement to The Washington Post, Kreupers lawyers said she is very remorseful and sorry for any harm she has caused. She was also entrusted with overseeing the St. James Covenant Account, a savings account that funded the living expenses of the nuns who worked at the school, the indictment against her states. She is looking forward to getting on with life and will get treatment for her gambling addiction, he said. Around the same time, a St. James parent asked question at a school meeting about an old tuition check that had an endorsement on the back of check that did not line up with the schools primary account, the prosecutor said. "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=47402'; The embezzlement helped to fuel her gambling habit. Parents and alumni of St. James told KTTV-TV in late 2018 that they hoped the school followed through with pursuing criminal complaints against Kreuper and Chang. Investigators described a system in which Kreuper handled all checks made out to the school for tuition and fees before handing them over to bookkeeping staff for processing. The purpose is to protect leaders of the faith, and their religions, from interference by the government. The second suit was brought by Kristen Biel against St. James School in Torrance. It's very disturbing. The Torrancepair used the money for vacations and gambling at the casino while telling parents that the school was on a tight budget. As principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, she certainly did but while also embezzling more than $835,000 in funds to support her secretive gambling habit. In the process, Kreuper falsified monthly and annual reports to the St. James 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. She's obviously not employable.". Because the funds were to be restored, the archdiocese decided not to press criminal charges. The exception extends to religiously affiliated institutions when they fire employees who serve in a religious capacity akin to that of a minister. I wanted them to see me," he says "and I just pray that the justices see the right way.". There is another, and rather rich, twist to one of the cases before the court Monday. Trust shouldnt be broken like that., Others, such as Kevin Kearns, whose son had gone to the school, said the nun had put the students and parents above everything else., The church tells us to forgive those who have trespassed against us, Kearns said. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, a former principal at St James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used tuition fees and donations to subsidize casino gambling expenses and credit card. St. James teacher Lana Chang admitted along with Kreuper to the embezzlement in 2018, following each of their retirements earlier that year. The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79,of Los Angeles, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, She defrauded St. James Catholic Schoolover a period of 10 years, As principal, Kreuper had been in charge of the school's credit union account, where she was meant to deposit cash and checks from tuition, fees and donations, Also implicated in the scheme was Lana Chang, who worked as a teacher at St. James before becoming vice principal, Nun, 79, STOLE $835,000 from Catholic school over 10 years to fund her gambling trips, Teenage boy shot friend, 15, in face with his grandad's shotgun after 'being repeatedly humiliated and bullied by him', Apple pie could be CANCELED after writer links treat to genocide and cultural appropriation, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have 'done nothing but seek publicity' since leaving UK, former Palace aide claims, Woman, 21, records terrifying moment Uber driver relentlessly pesters her for sex despite her telling him 'no', Inside Bidens 30million G7 ring of steel with warships, The Beast & 400 Secret Service agents watching his every move, Murder probe scuppered after alligator makes off with dead body found floating in river, JBSA Lackland put on lockdown after shooting outside Air Force base in San Antonio. Sister Mary Margaret became a nun when she turned 18 in 1960 and took a vow of poverty. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison, months after she admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from St. James Catholic School in Torrance . (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images). All rights reserved. The schools, "have never asserted that either of [the teachers] fell short in any religious duty or adherence to the faith," he says. All they needed to do was get through the school year. Kreuper was in charge of the schools credit union account, where she was meant to deposit cash and checks from tuition, fees and donations. Other parents remarked it was well-known that Kreuper and Chang traveled often and went gambling, with the two women claiming they were gifted the trips by a rich relative. The principal allegedly withheld some of the checks and deposited them into the other account, endorsing the back with a stamp that read, St. When the fraudulent behavior first came to light, the order was deeply disappointed and offered to repay the lost funds only believed to be $500,000 at the time. Mary Kreuper: Nun who stole $835,000 to fund gambling habit admits 'I have sinned', Sister Mary Kreuper embezzled more than 600,000 from the school where she worked. BroBible is the #1 place on the internet for the very best content from the worlds of sports, culture, gear, high tech, and more. St.James Catholic School caught embezzling $500K for personal use, including gambling as church declines to press charges. James Convent instead of St. "Such action interferes with the internal governance of the church, depriving the church of control over the selection of those who will personify its beliefs.". His . Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana were both Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Kreuper, 79, was charged Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, and in a plea agreement pleaded guilty to both charges, the Associated Press reported. At Monday's argument, Stanford law professor Jeff Fisher, who is representing the teachers, will tell the justices that by the terms of the teachers' contracts and the school handbooks, these teachers were hired to teach academic subjects. Eric Rassbach of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who is representing the schools before the court, disagrees. Prosecutors say the nun also ordered school employees to alter and destroy financial records during the audit. His findings unraveled the entire scheme and, eventually, federal charges were levied against Sister Mary Margaret. 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