Complaint Details Charges against Alleged Monk
By Dennis Magee
GALESBURG, Ill. --- Ryan St. Anne Scott used his influence as a spiritual adviser to steal from a former admirer, according to a criminal complaint filed in Knox County in Illinois. Scott duped his alleged victim, Sheila Anderson, by "holding himself out to be an ordained priest and member of the Order of St. Benedict," Assistant State's Attorney Erik Gibson added. According to the complaint, Scott "knowingly and by deception" gained control over Anderson's property, including bank accounts. He is facing three counts of financial exploitation of an elderly person, three counts of theft and one count of deceptive practices. "The charges are not unusual. We see those all the time," Gibson said. "What makes this a little more interesting is the relationship between the parties." Scott has presented himself for years as a Benedictine monk and priest and was head of a corporate entity he established called the Holy Rosary Abbey in Galesburg. Anderson, an older woman intent on serving as a Catholic nun, was previously a member of Scott's alleged religious community. As that enterprise faltered and after Anderson won a civil judgement worth $161,000, Scott pulled up stakes and moved his enterprise into the former Buchanan County home near Independence. He called this second corporation the Congregation of the Order of St. Benedict, also known as the Buchanan Abbey. He signed a real estate contract with county supervisors and agreed to pay $125,000 for the massive brick building and surrounding acres. The group and its 19 llamas lived in Buchanan County about 10 months. They abandoned the property in mid-January, and the federal bankruptcy court sold the animals at auction earlier this year. Law enforcement officials picked Scott up on an arrest warrant March 19 in St. Louis County in Missouri. He was scheduled to make an appearance at 1:30 p.m. today in the Knox County Courthouse via video conference. Bond will be set at $75,000, but Scott need only put up 10 percent to be released, according to Gibson. The criminal complaint alleges Scott committed a Class 1 felony, which in Illinois is considered the second most serious category of offenses. A conviction could mean up to 15 years in prison, according to Gibson. Authorities also accuse Scott of Class 2, Class 3 and Class 4 felonies. With convictions, those offenses in Illinois merit from one to seven years in prison. In the complaint, Gibson alleged Scott took proceeds from the sale of Anderson's home with the understanding the funds would be deposited in money market accounts payable after her death to her children. Instead, Scott put the money in a bank account for his personal use. He also got furniture, decorations and personal and household items that belonged to Anderson and were worth up to $10,000. The criminal complaint also alleges Scott committed these offenses "knowing he was not an ordained priest or member of the Order of St. Benedict" and while "in a position of trust and confidence." Catholic church officials across the country, including the Archdiocese of Dubuque, have warned Scott is not a legitimate priest or monk. Scott's legal situation is complicated by the fact two related bankruptcy cases are playing out simultaneously in Iowa and in Illinois. He is due April 4 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Cedar Rapids. The hearing is required because Scott objected to a proposed auction of items he and his followers left behind in the former Buchanan County home. If Scott posts bond, however, he would not normally be allowed to leave Illinois without a judge's permission. Gibson on the complaint listed a number of aliases connected to the figure people in Buchanan County knew as the Most Rev. and Lord Abbot Ryan St. Anne Scott, including his original name, Randell Stocks. The document adds Patrick Ryan Scott, Tom Ryan and Damien St. Anne. The name on his drivers license issued in Illinois --- Ryan Patrich Scott Gevelinger --- is not mentioned, however. Contact: dennis.magee@wcfcourier.com
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