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Husband, Wife Charged With Stealing $1.2 Million From Local Church (Pittsburgh)
CBS Pittsburgh ^ | 2/19/2019 | John Delano

Posted on 02/21/2019 12:44:18 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog

UPPER ST. CLAIR, Pa. (KDKA) – Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair is one of the largest Presbyterian churches in southwestern Pennsylvania with over 1700 members.

One of those long-time members, David Reiter, was also the church administrator for 17 years.

It turns out, police say, that he was also a big time thief, stealing more than $1.2 million from the church between 2001 and 2018

In a lengthy complaint, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office has charged Reiter with 10 counts, including forgery, criminal conspiracy, and theft.

The complaint alleges that Reider stole over $979,000 through an electronic transfer of funds from the church’s PNC Bank account to his own PNC account.

He is also accused of misusing a Bank of America credit card to the tune of $229,000.

The complaint alleges that Reider used that money for both general household expenses and a variety of family trips, including Disney World, Hershey Park, Cedar Point and Kings Island.

(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburgh.cbslocal.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Miscellaneous; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: crime; embezzlement; presbyterian; theft
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Another sign of impending societal collapse. The longtime administrator of a local church embezzled $1.2 million to splurge on vacations, shopping sprees and tickets to sporting events.
1 posted on 02/21/2019 12:44:18 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Buckeye McFrog
"Another sign of impending societal collapse"

A phrase we'd do well to remember as we consider what's happening in our nation, why and what we can do about it.

I'm personnally working my local school board to either shut the public system down or get some conservative folks in the decision making process.

2 posted on 02/21/2019 12:49:26 PM PST by knarf (I say things that are true. I have no proof, but they're true)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

“The complaint alleges that Reider used that money for both general household expenses and a variety of family trips, including Disney World, Hershey Park, Cedar Point and Kings Island.”

At least he put it to good use:)


3 posted on 02/21/2019 12:54:36 PM PST by Ken H (2019 => The House of Representin')
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To: Buckeye McFrog

Thieves, psychopaths, killers - they’ve been with us since the beginning. Sadly, this is nothing new.


4 posted on 02/21/2019 12:56:04 PM PST by Tired of Taxes
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To: Buckeye McFrog

This is what happens when you don’t audit.

We had a treasurer of our group who opposed a committee to oversee the finances. We replaced her immediately. No harm was done.


5 posted on 02/21/2019 12:57:01 PM PST by AppyPappy (How many fingers am I holding up, Winston?)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

I’m sorry, but we are going to have to start hanging thieves.

There are too many of them, and they aren’t afraid of prison.


6 posted on 02/21/2019 1:01:13 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Buckeye McFrog

Oh, another liberal mainstream protestant denominations: the liberal Presbyterian Church USA (pro-gay, pro-abortion)

The "I'm OK, you're OK, don't worry, be happy and blessed, but keep those checks coming in because the kids want to go to Disney World, again denomination.

7 posted on 02/21/2019 1:01:54 PM PST by Perseverando (For Progressives, Islamonazis, Statists, Commies & other DemoKKKrats: It's all about PEOPLE CONTROL!)
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To: AppyPappy

Also what happens when there are no internal checks and balances. There should be AT LEAST TWO, better THREE, procedures involved, one overseeing the other, and all balancing against each other. Accountability is healthy for all concerned and discourages any temptation to go off course.


8 posted on 02/21/2019 1:02:05 PM PST by georgiegirl (Count me Deplorable)
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To: knarf
shut the public system down

You have a flow chart for that?

9 posted on 02/21/2019 1:04:03 PM PST by aspasia
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To: Buckeye McFrog

A ‘church’ should not have $1.2 million dollars to steal.....................


10 posted on 02/21/2019 1:04:22 PM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: georgiegirl

One person handles receipts, another handles disbursements, a third entity audits.


11 posted on 02/21/2019 1:05:10 PM PST by Gideon7
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To: Tired of Taxes

Jesus knew two.........................


12 posted on 02/21/2019 1:05:20 PM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

This happens way too often. A lot of churches are hopelessly naive when it comes to custody of church funds.


13 posted on 02/21/2019 1:14:36 PM PST by Opinionated Blowhard (When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.)
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To: Red Badger

Actually you’re wrong. Many churches rely on income from trusts - money donated by members’ estates - to balance their operating budgets. Most of those donations come with specific use and/or investment directions.


14 posted on 02/21/2019 1:22:59 PM PST by HonorInPa
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To: AppyPappy

Strangely enough, I actually know a guy who embezzled a million dollars.

He was the controller of a company where I used to work.
He had gambling problems, football betting mostly.

I was astonished at how light the punishment was for stealing that much money. He did around 2 yrs. in the Federal resort prison where the Watergate people went. He was ordered to pay restitution (yeah, like THAT will ever happen).

In a sense he pretty much got away with it.


15 posted on 02/21/2019 1:24:50 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: aspasia
We can start be taking their money away ....

EVERY mother on the planet is capable of teaching the first three or four "grades" (according to public school curriculum)

If EVERY four year old today was NOT enrolled in a public school but home schooled .... Kindergarten would disappear, as well as all those manipulatives and teachers your taxes pay for.

In the second year, INSPITE OF THE UNION LOBBYING, first grade would ALSO be empty along with the kindergarten.

I think that would be a good start.

Actually, by December of the first year of the national "movement", a whole BUNCH of legislation would be flying around.

This is best done in the Trump/DeVoss years.

16 posted on 02/21/2019 1:26:49 PM PST by knarf (I say things that are true. I have no proof, but they're true)
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To: Red Badger
A ‘church’ should not have $1.2 million dollars to steal.....................

That's a rather odd statement. There are two problems with it:

1) The funds were stolen during a period of several years.

2) Many local Churches have significant programs of assistance to the deserving poor, that involve fairly large sums of money flowing through their accounts.

The problem here is a lack of accountability.

17 posted on 02/21/2019 1:27:07 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: Buckeye McFrog
stealing more than $1.2 million from the church


18 posted on 02/21/2019 1:32:37 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (ui)
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To: Red Badger
A ‘church’ should not have $1.2 million dollars to steal...

+1

19 posted on 02/21/2019 2:18:32 PM PST by CurlyDave
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To: Hot Tabasco

Maybe the church should consider limiting those handing the $$$ to one year in that position...and have some oversight?


20 posted on 02/21/2019 2:20:00 PM PST by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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