By Brendan Farrelly
Irish Independent
September 29, 2006
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1697784&issue_id=14713
Two former Irish priests have been accused in the US of stealing millions of dollars in offerings and gifts made to their parish during the past 40 years.
Police in Delray Beach, Florida alleged that they skimmed cash from the offertory and used the money for personal profit.
Former priests John Skehan, from Johnstown, Co Kilkenny and Francis Guinan, from Mounthenry, Birr, Co Offaly were both charged with grand theft over $100,000.
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| Fr John Skehan and Rev Francis Guinan: theft charges |
Father Skehan, who was pastor at St Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach for four decades, was arrested at Palm Beach International Airport as he returned from Ireland.
He was charged with stealing $8.6m from the church, using the money to buy property and other assets, investigators said.
The Rev Francis Guinan, who succeeded Fr Skehan in the parish three years ago, has disappeared and is being sought. Guinan, who is understood to have an Irish passport, is alleged to have stolen an unspecified amount of money to take on gambling trips to Las Vegas and the Bahamas.
Reports said Skehan owned a pub in Kilkenny and a cottage near the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare. Police spokesman Jeff Messer said: "These guys lived the life they told everyone else not to live. And they lived it on everyone's else's dime. And one of the seven deadly sins is greed."The investigation started more than a year ago when a parishioner sent an anonymous letter to Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer's office.
An accounting firm, hired by the diocese, conducted a forensic audit of Skehan and Guinan's numerous bank accounts.
Skehan reportedly deposited nearly $1.6m in four bank accounts in cash, donation cheques, donated stock sales from the building fund and bequeathed money.He used $134,075 to pay for his alleged lover's expenses.
He also gave $11,688 to family members and used another $268,630 for personal expenses, including car payments, dental work, property taxes and credit card payments.
Guinan is alleged to have spent at least $90,000 on airline, hotels and restaurants in Las Vegas and the Bahamas.
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