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NEW YORK--- Prosecutors said that a Roman Catholic priest maintained a high-style of living, driving a tan Lexus, maintaining memberships in exclusive golf clubs, and owning condos in Florida and New Jersey.
Monsignor John Woolsey, 68, pastor of the Church of St. John the Martyr, made his confession to the court Friday, pleading guilty to grand larceny as part of a plea bargain. In exchange for his guilty plea to stealing more than $800,000 from his church he'll receive a minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum of five when he's sentenced on Sept. 22.
He could have faced up to 15 years in prison had he been convicted at trial.
Woolsey had final control over the parish's finances. A church audit showed that $1 million was missing from a variety of parish funds.
Woolsey told state Supreme Court Justice Bruce Allen that he thought he was entitled to spend some of the money as he wished. He admitted to stealing over $800,000, the least amount that was required in order to satisfy the plea deal. He apologized to the court and later issued a written statement apologizing to parishioners and asking for their forgiveness and prayers.
Woolsey resigned Friday. He had voluntarily stepped down from his duties after he was arrested in 2005.
The amount of restitution that Woolsey will have to pay is yet to be established. He has reportedly already repaid about $100,000. Prosecutors are seeking restitution of $830,000.
The investigation of Woolsey began in 2004 when he was accused of swindling an elderly parishioner of nearly $500,000 including most of a $241,500 donation made to the church. The civil suit in that matter is still pending.
A lawsuit filed earlier this year in Manhattan Supreme Court by the church against the Travelers Casualty and Surety Co. of America claims that Woolsey actually stole $1.3 million. The church said that while the insurance company hasn't rejected the claim, it hasn't paid it either and the statute of limitations to file claims in the case would have expired.
According to a spokesman for the New York Archdiocese, the church was insured against employee theft in a $5 million blanket policy. A claim for $1.2 million was filed by the church in June 2004 after a $100,000 deductible was subtracted. 5-28-06
© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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