Church bookkeeper stole $875,000 and spent it on boat and clothes in Florida, feds say

A woman who worked for her Florida church for 25 years is now going to prison following accusations that she embezzled nearly $900,000, officials said.

The 45-year-old former bookkeeper, Heather Darrey, grew up in the parish of Christ the King Catholic Church in Tampa, Father Len Plazewski told McClatchy News.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced Nov. 14 that Darrey had been sentenced to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud June 6.

McClatchy News reached out to her attorney for comment Nov. 14 but did not immediately receive a response.

Plazewski said when the accusations came to light, “shock was the biggest reaction.” He said Darrey was known among the parish as a kind person.

“It was a shock that it happened and who the perpetrator was,” he said.

As record and finance manager for the church, Darrey had access to accounting software to generate checks for vendors that worked with the church, federal officials said in a plea agreement.

Starting in October 2023, Darrey would have the legitimate checks for vendors signed, then destroy them and write new checks for the same amount but made out to herself, officials said. She recorded in the system that she had mailed the checks to the vendors to conceal the scheme, according to investigators.

“The investigation revealed that Darrey stole $875,323.19, which she largely spent on mortgage payments, car and boat loans, and credit card bills for clothing, restaurants, vacations and concert tickets,” federal officials said in the news release.

The church’s finance department flagged suspicious activity in the accounting system and questioned Darrey in March, investigators said.

She told them she had stolen some from the church but “attempted to minimize the amount,” officials said.

She was fired, but she asked the church not to report the incident to law enforcement, according to investigators.

“I don’t think anyone’s rejoicing, but there are consequences for violating trust and violating the law,” Plazewski said. “The whole thing is very sad.”

This story was originally published November 14, 2024 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Church bookkeeper stole $875,000 and spent it on boat and clothes in Florida, feds say."