A retired nun pleaded guilty to federal charges brought against her for allegedly stealing over $835,000 from a school to finance her personal expenses, the Department of Justice (DOJ) stated Tuesday.
79-year-old Mary Margaret Kreuper stole $835,339 from the St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California, where she served as the principal in order to finance her gambling trips and credit card charges over a 10-year period, according to the DOJ. Kreuper pleaded guilty on charges of fraud and money laundering, which could result in a maximum 40-year prison sentence.
The money was intended to fund the school’s tuition, fees and charitable donations, which Kreuper was in charge of overseeing. Kreuper admitted that she withdrew money from both the St. James Convent and Savings Accounts to pay her gambling expenses, according to the DOJ. (RELATED: Rabbi Imprisoned For Stealing Money From Disabled Preschoolers)
A nun pleads guilty to fraud and money laundering charges, after police say she embezzled more than $800,000 from a Catholic school.
What they say she spent the money on might surprise you, next on @ABC7 at 6am! pic.twitter.com/1W1irHyfUu— Brandi Hitt (@ABC7Brandi) June 9, 2021
Kreuper allegedly lied to the school administration about monthly and annual reports and forced staff to destroy financial records during a school audit to hide any wrongdoing, according to the DOJ.
The Torrance Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation were involved in investigating the incident, the DOJ stated. Kreuper is expected to appear in the United States District Court in July.