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What Ever Happened to Thou Shalt Not Steal?!

What Ever Happened to Thou Shalt Not Steal?!
12/10/2010
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Suada Kolovic

Over the course of a decade, an Iona College nun known as Sister Susie allegedly embezzled more than $1.2 million from the Catholic college in Westchester County. Sister Marie E. Thornton, a former vice president of finance for Iona College and nun, allegedly diverted college funds for her own use by turning in phony vendor invoices for reimbursement and having the college pay credit-card bills for “personal expenses.”

Officials wouldn’t say where the funds went but, according to Talk of the Sound, a former men’s basketball coach at the school hinted that Thornton may have gambled away at least some of it. In October, the college’s president, Brother James Liguori, publicly acknowledged the loss of only $800,000 but insisted that it had “recovered a major amount.” And in a statement issued Thursday evening, Iona said they had taken swift action after discovering the missing funds a year and a half ago, had conducted a follow-up investigation and put preventative procedures in place to avoid similar fraud.

Thornton was released without bail after waiving indictment and pleading not guilty to a single felony count of theft involving a federally funded program, but if convicted Thornton could face up to 10 years in prison for her unholy scam. I guess the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience don’t apply when you’re on a hot streak at the craps table.

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