The Archdiocese of Los Angeles says two nuns who worked at Saint James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used school money to pay for gambling trips to Las Vegas.
According to the Associated Press, the archdiocese said Sister Mary Margaret, the school’s longtime principal, and Sister Lana, an eighth grade teacher, both admitted to taking a substantial amount from tuition payments and other school funds. Archdiocese spokesman Adrian Alarcon said the thefts may have gone on for as long as ten years. The total is still being calculated, and while some reports put it as high as $500,000, Alarcon said he could not confirm that figure.
Alarcon explained that a financial review is routine after a principal retires, and that review is how the church found the problem. Both sisters retired from the school earlier in 2018 after about two decades each.
Monsignor Michael Meyers told families in a letter that the sisters and their order, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, promised to repay the money. The archdiocese said it notified police but does not plan to press charges, preferring to handle the matter internally through repayment and discipline from the order. As of this report, neither sister has been charged with a crime.
In the letter, Meyers said the sisters asked him to share their “deep remorse” and to ask parents for forgiveness and prayers. Church officials said no one else was implicated and that the sisters are cooperating with the investigation.
Baller Alert will keep you posted as more details come out about how much was taken and how it will be repaid.
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