Officials: Church employee embezzled more than $400,000

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. (AP) - The Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph says a longtime employee at a Blue Springs church embezzled $446,000 during the past several years.

The diocese said Tuesday the woman worked at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church for decades but the embezzlement occurred over the last seven years. Diocese spokesman Jack Smith says the woman agreed to repay the money within 60 days after she was confronted last week. The diocese didn't name the employee.

A member of the parish's finance council discovered that the employee had been writing checks to herself and entering the names of vendors on accounting stubs.

The Kansas City Star reports the findings of the diocese's investigation were turned over to the Blue Springs police department on Monday.

Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com

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