THE TELEGRAPH: An Irish Catholic priest has admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his Florida parishioners to fund a lavish lifestyle of luxury homes and holidays.
Rev John Skehan, 81, originally from Johnstown, Co Kilkenny, pleaded guilty just hours before the start of his trial to taking money from his church over the course of several years in what authorities say could be the one of the biggest embezzlement scandals to hit the American Catholic Church.
Skehan faces charges with fellow priest, the Rev Francis Guinan, originally from Birr, Co Offaly, who has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say the pair took cash from the offering plate at St Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, in West Palm Beach, and stashed it in the church ceiling and in offshore bank accounts.
They then spent the money on expensive homes, gambling trips to Las Vegas with a mistress, even a $275,000 (£200,000) rare coin collection, authorities say.
Both are charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars, although church auditors believe the total amount taken could be in the millions. >>> | Thursday, January 21, 2009
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