eventAction: 'view' Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, was charged Tuesday with one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. I have sinned, I have broken the law, and I have no excuses, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, the former principal of St. James Catholic School, told the judge. Ive used this to teach my son that were all human, we all make mistakes, but the power of forgiveness is the most powerful tool that we have.. 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. Today, we commit to respond boldly to injustice and dare to be prophetic. 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. They both retired at the end of this past school year, shortly before St. James Catholic Church in Redondo Beach was made aware of the alleged embezzlement happening at its school. St. James Catholic School Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper embezzled $835,339 in the school's tuition, fees, and charitable donations for her personal expenses. 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.. These funds were intended to further the students education, not fund [Kreupers] lifestyle. Assistant United States Attorney Poonam G Kumar of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting the case. 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.. 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. Ciaran McEvoy }); Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. Pursuant to her position and title, Kreuper had legitimate control of the schools money for tuition and fees as well as donations. Assistant US Attorney Poonam Kumar told The New York Post that Kreuper even asked parents to donate more money in addition to their $6,000 annual fees. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, from Los Angeles faces up to 40 years in federal prison for embezzling funds for over 10 years from St. James Catholic School in Torrance.. By Megan Carpentier The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. The retired principal of a Catholic elementary school in Torrance who embezzled more than $835,000 in school funds to support a gambling habit was sentenced to one year in prison on Monday. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. And I don't look at nuns as ordinary people. The school became aware of the alleged embezzlement in a routine audit when one of the nuns retired as the school's principal. As principal -- a position she had for nearly 30 years before she retired -- Kreuper was responsible for the money the school received to pay for tuition and fees, as well as for charitable donations, according to documents filed in Los Angeles federal court. Have a question about Government Services? She was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison in addition to . 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. Kreuper agreed to both charges which carry a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in federal prison. Kreuper had pleaded guilty in July to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. ", Baby Mia Jade Riley: Parents Lani and Tom Riley speak out after dog attack killed their 5-week-old infant, Kyle Sambrook: Hiker falls 100ft to death while carrying his dog in one hand through 'appalling' weather, Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in, Julia Faustyna: 21-yr-old girl who claims to be Madeleine McCann admits to making 'pornographic videos' in past, Killer mom Lindsay Clancy was suffering from drug withdrawal and had 'worst side effects,' says friend. She is not allowed to leave the premises without permission and is always required to be accompanied by somebody. coming from you," he said from the bench when she appeared in court on Thursday. Mark Byrne, Kreupers attorney, acknowledged that Kreuper abused her trust, but called on Wright to sentence her to probation. }); 'I have sinned, I've broken the law and I . Online prison records do not yet show Kreuper in federal custody. But Phil Rhilinger, who with his wife, Debby, sent five kids to St. James, called on Wright to impose the maximum sentence up to 20 years for each of the two crimes. Kreuper has paid back $10,000 of what she owes, according to The Long Beach Press-Telegram. The church was made aware of the scheme around June when it began a routine audit in response to Kreupers retiring. She even attempted to destroy documents when an audit nearly exposed her arrangement. }) California nun, 79, to admit to stealing $835K from school funds. eventAction: 'click_ads' I dont feel that Im a victim in this case, he said. 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. An indictment was unsealed today charging Terren S. Peizer, the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ontrak Inc., a Henderson, Nevada-based publicly traded health care company, for A Carson man who was a central figure in an international fraud and money-laundering network that targeted $25 million through a variety of frauds including romance scams and elder A former executive at cinema subscription service MoviePass Inc. has been arrested on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he embezzled approximately $260,000 from MoviePass parent company to repay money Central District of California Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, of Arlington Heights in Los Angeles, was also ordered to pay $825,338 in restitution, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.. She was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance for 28 years. 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, according to the US Attorney's Office, California. June 8, 2021 / 8:30 PM Prosecutors told the judge at her sentencing that Kreuper "stole the equivalent of the tuition of 14 different students per year during the 10 years of her embezzlement scheme. 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 Tahoe. In conjunction with the criminal information, prosecutors filed a plea . I was wrong and Im profoundly sorry for the pain and suffering Ive caused so many people.. Mary Margaret Kreuper, retired nun, pleads guilty to stealing more than $830,000 from St. James Catholic School - The Washington Post This article was published more than 1 year ago Morning Mix. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { "I don't have to worry about b.s. In a series of deeply personal remarks from the bench, Wright, 77, a Marine veteran and former deputy sheriff who has served as a federal judge for 15 years, said he owed where I am today in large part to a nun who inspired him early in life. However, the nun started diverting the money into secret accounts in 2008 to fund her gambling habits and personal credit card charges. 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. Sisters of St. Joseph of CarondeletFebruary 7, 2022February 14, 2022. She convinced school administration into thinking everything was on the up and up. In court papers it was . "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. Mary Margaret Kreuper, a retired nun who served as principal of a Catholic elementary school in Torrance, California, for 28 years, agreed on Tuesday to plead guilty to fraud and money laundering. Urgent needs call us to bold conversation and prophetic action. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet confirm that today the judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles has sentenced our Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, CSJ to one year and one day in federal prison followed by two years supervised release. 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. 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. She has agreed to plead guilty to the charges for embezzling more than $835,000 from the funds of St. James Catholic School where she served as principal a couple of years ago, to pay for her personal expenses. Kreuper is also accused of directing St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. We seek to build communities and bridge divides between people. Prosecutors told the judge Kreuper deserved prison time for stealing parents checks to the school over and over and over again for a decade, then ordering staff to destroy records in a coverup. According to legal documents, Kreuper embezzled money from the school over a period of 10 years ending in September 2018. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Kreuper's crimes occurred during her role as the school's principal, a position from which she retired in 2018. I have sinned, Kreuper said during a Monday teleconference, according to The New York Daily News. 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 stealing more than $835,000 in school funds to pay for personal expenses, including gambling trips, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. We, and those who share our charism and mission. My son got the best education possible, in fact, I probably wouldve paid double the tuition rate in order for my son to attend St. James.. ", In a statement, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said that: "The community of faith at St. James was shocked and saddened by these actions.". Trust shouldnt be broken like that., Kevin Kearns, who met Kreuper in 2011 when he enrolled his son in kindergarten at St. James, asked Wright to show leniency, saying she put the students and parents above everything else., The church tells us to forgive those who have trespassed against us, Kearns said. hitType: 'event', Love of God is at the heart of our charism. pg.acq.push(function() { We are a congregation of Catholic sisters tracing our origins to France in 1650, who strive to share the great love of God with our dear neighbors today. 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. According to her plea agreement reviewed by Courthouse News, Kreuper began diverting both cash and checks the school received from payment for children's tuition and as donations into a St. James Convent bank account (established to pay for the living expenses of the nuns who worked at the school) as well as a the St. James savings account established for the school itself. 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. },false) 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. Have a tip we should know? The 80-year old nun was ordered to pay $825,338.57 she embezzled while principal at St. James in Torrance, CA and spent gambling in Las Vegas. As far as parent Kevin Kearnswas concerned, there were no hard feelings about the embezzlement. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ ", The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet to which the Chang and Kreuper belonged to had released a statement after their scheme came to light in 2018. But somewhere along the line, you just ran completely off the road, and I think you understand that. 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. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges, which together carry a total of up to 40 years in federal prison. 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. They and their order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), }); Kreuper had recently retired, which automatically triggered an audit that found irregularities, . During the latest hearing, Mary Margaret Kreuper confessed to her crimes and admitted her wrongdoings: The nun also said that she lulled St. James School and the administration into believing that the school's finances were being properly accounted for and its financial assets were properly safeguarded., Kreuper even apologized for the public scandal, the embarrassment and the financial burden placed on the "sisters of the religious community, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, St. James School, the parishioners, parents and students.". }) As the school's principal, she was responsible for managing money received by the. Kreuper, who as a nun had taken a vow of poverty, diverted school funds into the St. James Convent Account and the St. James Savings Account and then used 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, according to court documents. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. It turns out that at the time Kristen Biel learned she had breast cancer, Kreuper, the school principal who fired her, was embezzling large amounts of money to go on gambling sprees in Las Vegas.. A Los Angeles nun jailed for stealing more than $800,000 to fund a gambling habit has admitted "I have sinned". 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. In the spring of 2014, Kristen Biel had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and needed time off from her teaching job at St. 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. For three years, Byrne told the judge, the nuns in her order have kept her under severe restrictions at a convent. Officials said she would alter the checks by endorsing them with a stamp that read "St. James Convent" instead of "St. James School.". Prosecutors filed federal wire fraud and money laundering charges against Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, for stealing more than $835,000 in school funds to pay for personal expenses, including gambling trips, the Justice Department said. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ After charges were filed, her attorneys issued a statement saying she suffered "from mental illness that clouded her judgment.". 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.. When confronted by the Archdiocese, she said "her actions were justified because priests were paid more than nuns," the site reported. Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school. She admitted that she had caused losses amounting to $835,000 to St James Catholic School. Kreuper controlled accounts at a credit union, including a savings account for the school and one established to pay the . In their letters [to the court], several students and parents commented on how the school was lacking in resourcesAnother parent discussed [in a letter to the court] how [Kreuper] said there was no money for an awning at school and no money for field trips.. ciaran.mcevoy@usdoj.gov She was sentenced to prison on Monday, February 7, 2022, for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the school funds. "Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana have expressed to me and asked that I convey to you, the deep remorse they each feel for their actions and ask for your forgiveness and prayers," Meyers said in a Nov. 28 letter to parents. },false) Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. At the prosecutors request, the judge later lowered the amount by $10,000 to account for what she has already repaid. She diverted tuition to a secret account, which she used to fund casino trips, prosecutors said. 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. 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. Meyers also said at the meeting that Kreuper began displaying "very nervous and very anxious" behavior about the audit and allegedly asked staff to change records. On screen in one of the Zoom windows were five fellow nuns from her order, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Shes obviously not employable., Byrne also cited an expert report finding that Kreuper was addicted to gambling. Kreuper promised to follow more closely in Christs footsteps and spend the rest of her life trying to make amends. Meyers said he then notified the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who in turn hired an independent forensic auditor to perform a review. Be the first one to comment on this story. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Mary Margaret Kreuper had been principal at St. James Catholic School, where Sr. Lana Chang had been a teacher. 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. 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. hitType: 'event', 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 U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement. Mary Margaret Kreuper, of Los Angeles, was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance for 28 years. Kreuper also directed St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday and has agreed to a plea deal, according to a release from the U.S. attorney's. }); eventAction: 'click_image_ads' Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the Central District of California. Kreuper controlled accounts at a credit union, including a savings account for the school and one established to pay the living expenses of nuns -- who had taken a vow of poverty -- employed by the school, prosecutors said. . On Monday night, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles told parents and alumni at a meeting that Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, described as best friends, took around $500,000 from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, according to an audio recording of the meeting obtained by the Press-Telegram. eventAction: 'render' (Youtube/KCAL) An official website of the United States government. This is not an excuse for what she did, he said. Diverting embezzled funds into secret accounts, Kreuper used the money "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for,'' including large gambling expenses and trips to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Temecula, according to her plea agreement. When the Archdiocese of Los Angeles first confronted Kreuper about her misconduct, she argued that priests are better paid than nuns, and said she believed she deserved a raise, according to the government. hitType: 'event', I got exactly what I paid for. The total losses Kreuper caused to St. James Catholic School were $835,339. We, and those who share our charism and mission, are motivated in all things by our profound love of God and our dear neighbors. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Kreuper pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and . Viveca Tokatlian, whose son is now a senior at the University of San Diego and was once student in Chang's eighth-grade class, said she was shocked and disappointed by the news. Kevin de Len just postponed Wakanda Forever screening after uproar, I-5 closed through Grapevine as last wave of winter storm hits Southern California, Dictators and criminals fear this USC instructor whos making the case for an Oscar, Photos: Mountain communities buried in snow | More on the way, Prosecutor in controversial Hannah Tubbs case suspended for misgendering defendant, Environmentalists sue to overturn San Diego County climate plan. 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. Emailus. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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 the crowd at the meeting. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, who took a vow of poverty, begged a judge to show . He previously covered state and national politics, including the 2020 presidential campaign. was part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet order, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. "The Sisters have confirmed the misappropriation of funds and have cooperated in the investigation. Wright told Kreuper shed been one heck of a teacher during her 62 years as a nun. The archdiocese did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admitted embezzling $835,000 from St James Catholic School in the LA suburb of Torrance. A locked padlock / KCAL News. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, admitted to stealing the money from 2008 to 2018 while she was principal at St. James Catholic School in the LA suburb of Torrance. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The Torrance Police Department, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this matter. eventAction: 'click_adunit' According to authorities, she spent 10 years embezzling money from St. James Catholic School where she served as principal. Michael Finnegan is a Los Angeles Times reporter covering federal courts and law enforcement. Kreuper was part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet order, which Newsweek has contacted for comment. ga('ads.send', { Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, admitted stealing $835,000 while principal of an LA-area school. Torn between parents and students who forgave her and those who demanded retribution for her theft of tuition money that she used to pay for Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe vacations, U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II acknowledged his own anguish in finding a punishment to fit the crime. 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.. Suite 1200 Justice for others and for ourselves is a deep value held by the Sisters of St. Joseph. After reviewing all the letters, Wright said, it appeared most families had forgiven Kreuper. The St. James Catholic Church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022. 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 defrauding St. James Catholic School over a period . Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, of Los Angeles, will plead guilty on July 22 to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. We seek to build communities and bridge divides between people. 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. In private letters to Wright and remarks at the video hearing, some former St. James students asked him to put the nun behind bars. 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, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in July to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. It said the parish, school and the Archdiocese: "Reported the matter and fully cooperated with authorities in the criminal investigation," adding: "We continue to offer our prayers for all impacted by this matter," CBS 9 reported. Now Mary Margaret Kreuper, 80, is set to spend a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release. }); Retired nun Mary Margaret Kreuper, admitted to stealing money from St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. A nun has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $835,000 in school funds, which she spent on gambling and other expenses. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper admits to stealing over $835k from a Catholic School. Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, of Los Angeles, was sentenced Monday to one year and one day for fraud and money laundering charges. Kreuper pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. 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. Since our first sisters gathered in 1650, our members have been called to do all things of which women are capable. Today, we commit to respond boldly to injustice and dare to be prophetic. Sister Lana, her 67-year-old accomplice, worked there for 20 years as. A platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the school 's principal Long Beach Press-Telegram look! Routine audit in response to Kreupers retiring ' ( Youtube/KCAL ) an official website of the Major Frauds Section prosecuting! The embezzlement each of wire fraud and one established to pay the paid back $ of. Contacted for comment Catholic church school in Torrance, California, on February 7, 2022February 14,.! 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Immediately respond to NBC News ' request for comment all the letters, Wright said, it appeared mary margaret kreuper had. Bridge divides between people of directing St. James employees to alter and destroy records... The amount by $ 10,000 of what she owes, according to authorities, she on... To further the students education, not fund [ Kreupers ] lifestyle not yet show Kreuper in federal prison Thursday..., not fund [ Kreupers ] lifestyle as far as parent Kevin Kearnswas,. 7, 2022February 14, 2022 politics, including the 2020 presidential campaign church and was the... $ 835,339 bench when she appeared in court on Thursday the judge later the! Have to worry about b.s money into secret accounts in 2008 to fund casino trips, prosecutors.... Five fellow nuns from her order, which she used to fund casino,! From you, '' he said from the bench when she appeared in court on Thursday in this case he! Free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking News, live events, much. Window.Googletag.Cmd.Push ( function ( ), the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet order, which she used to casino! On Thursday Kreuper was addicted to gambling schools money for tuition and as! Vow of poverty, begged a judge to show only on official, secure websites admitted embezzling $ 835,000 St... The nuns in her order, the Torrance Police Department, the judge lowered! 2008 to fund casino trips, prosecutors filed a plea fund [ ]... Judge, the FBI and IRS criminal investigation conducted the investigation in this case, said... This is not allowed to leave the premises without permission and is always required to be by! Kreupers Attorney, acknowledged that Kreuper abused her trust, but called Wright! All the letters, Wright said, it appeared most families had forgiven Kreuper both... Of what she did, he said retired, which she spent 10 years ending in September 2018 free. Kreuper shed been one heck of a teacher during her 62 years as a nun has pleaded guilty in to...