St. Thomas More Employee Leaves Amid Condo Investigation

By Mike Martindale
Detroit News
January 31, 2013

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130131/METRO02/301310369/1409/metro/St-Thomas-More-employee-leaves-amid-condo-investigation

At the center of financial questions is the Rev. Edward Belczak, 67, the popular pastor of the Troy church for nearly 30 years. He has not been criminally charged, but was "temporarily excluded" as head of the church and also his church-provided lodgings Jan. 22 after an archdiocese audit revealed $429,000 in "questionable financial transactions and practices."

"We are aware of the Florida land records and deal but we are not an investigative agency," said Joseph Kohn, spokesman for the archdiocese. "Priests can make whatever purchases they want and other church workers and members are not restricted in making sales to them. Or, for that matter, making gifts if they feel it's appropriate."

Kohn said Belczak's annual pay as parish pastor would fall in the "mid-$30,000 range."

The land deal is curious because the value is about the same total the archdiocese says has been misdirected from church funds supervised by Belczak.

In a press release this month, the archdiocese highlighted concerns about financial dealings that included Belczak allegedly taking at least $108,000 in unauthorized compensation, directing money to himself over the past six years and compensating a "ghost employee" $240,000 over the past six years.

Florida deed and land records show that in March 2005 Belczak bought a $500,000 condominium in Wellington from Janice and Michael Verschuren. Janice Verschuren — St. Thomas More's administrator and facilities manager since 1994 — left her job last week, according to Kohn.

Janice Verschuren could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, Troy police said Wednesday they have "barely begun" an investigation into alleged embezzlement that could take several weeks.

Belczak's attorney, Jerome Sabbota, said his client maintains "he has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty of something. Anything."

"There are no charges, no criminal warrants that I know of," he said. "So he bought a place down in Florida. So what? Maybe he did well in the stock market. Anything illegal with that?"

Contact: mmartindale@detnews.com