bctv
February 9, 2011
http://www.bctv.org/special_reports/safety/article_f93a62fa-346c-11e0-a0f4-001cc4c03286.html
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| Richard Nachajski |
A man who served as a Catholic priest in Reading for more than 10 years was charged Wednesday, Feb. 9, with stealing more than $400,000 from the church.
Richard Nachajski, 64, of York, surrendered to Berks County District Attorney John Adams without incident.
According to a news release:
Nachajski served as a Roman Catholic priest from 1998 to March 24, 2009 at St. Anthony's of Padua's Roman Catholic Church, 501 Summit Ave.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown conducted a forensic audit of St. Anthony's finances that revealed suspicious purchases, transactions and transfers, unaccounted funds, and an undisclosed bank account.
The audit revealed a loss of $476,093.
The diocese contacted the district attorney's office Nov. 17, 2009, about the possible misappropriation of funds.
Over the following year and a half, county detectives investigated the allegations.
They have concluded that Nachajski misappropriated more than $400,000 in church funds.
Detectives got two investigative grand-jury subpoenas and seven search warrants for credit card records, bank records, and purchase and service records back to 2002.
They also acquired copies of two wills filed in Berks County and assessment and transaction records from York and Pike counties.
Detectives determined that Nachajski used funds left to the church by two deceased parishioners and that the money was transferred between accounts that only Nachajski knew about and had access to.
Using church funds, Nachajski wrote more than $325,000 worth of checks made payable to himself and to financial institutions for credit card payments on purchases he made.
He also used church funds to buy a time share in Mexico for $13,000 and a vehicle for the church, which he kept after he took a leave of absence in March 2009.
Detectives and analysts reviewed every purchase, issued check, transfer and transaction. The examination revealed excessive credit card transactions believed to be solely for personal use.
The transactions included travel, lodging, entertainment, restaurants, home improvements, home decor, insurance, consumable goods, and retail purchases. The travel expenses included payment for himself, as well as for companions during foreign and domestic trips.
He was arraigned before District Judge Stuart Kennedy. Bail was set at $25,000.
He was charged with theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking or disposition, receiving stolen property, forgery, and securing execution of documents by deception.
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