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Catholic Nun Charged With Embezzling From College
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 10, 2010
Modified Dec 10, 2010
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 10, 2010
Modified Dec 10, 2010
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A very naughty nun must be dealing with some serious Catholic guilt today after she was charged with embezzling more than $1.2 million from a Westchester college. Sister Marie Thornton, 62, worked as vice president of finance at Iona College in New Rochelle, and is accused of stealing the money from the Catholic school over the last decade, by submitting false invoices and using a college-issued credit card for personal expenses.
Thornton was reportedly fired last year after the college discovered the financial discrepancies, but they didn't initially inform police or prosecutors; it's unclear what prompted prosecutors to charge her now. According to a former men's basketball coach at the school, Thonrton may have gambled away much of the ill-gotten dough: "I think she absconded with some funds or something down to Atlantic City," Jeff Ruland, who was fired in 2007, said on WFAN-AM in March. Thornton, who went back to being a full-time nun after she left the college, faces up to ten years in jail if convicted. As bad as Thornton's embezzling may have been, at least she wasn't trying to use her educators discount on sapphic vampire porn at a Borders Books and Music store while wearing her habit...because in all seriousness, we have seen that happen.
Tagged
catholic nun
embezzlement
Iona College
new rochelle
nun
westchester
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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