Church Accountant Arrested in $400,000 Theft, by Sarah Muench, Arizona Republic, August 31, 2007

Church Accountant Arrested in $400,000 Theft

By Sarah Muench
Arizona Republic
August 31, 2007

http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/0831cr-church0901-CP.html?&wired

Police have arrested an executive accountant they believe stole more than $400,000 from Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Church in Chandler, police said Friday.

Brenda Su Carroll-Nester, 45, who had been employed by the church for five years, was taken into police custody Thursday after Chandler financial and computer crimes detectives served a search warrant at her Chandler home, near Hunt Highway and Gilbert Road, police said.

"As you can imagine, we are saddened and disappointed," said Michelle Rauscher, director of women's ministries at the church, who said she worked with Carroll-Nester. Police said they found $250,000 in cash, traveler's checks, money orders and pre-paid gift cards. They also recovered $150,000 in property including cars, jewelry and high-end electronics.

Police have arrested Brenda Su Carroll-Nester, 45, who worked for Cornerstone Christian Fellowship in Chandler, one of the Valley's largest churches.

Out of the $250,000, detectives discovered $100,000 in cash stuffed in a backpack, said Sgt. Rick Griner, a Chandler police spokesman. Police also are investigating assets in bank accounts, Griner said.

Church employees brought their suspicions to police a week ago, Griner said. Detectives interviewed employees, looked over church records and obtained a search warrant.

"We have a process for adding new staffing and bookkeeping," Rauscher said. "During that there were some things that were called into question, discrepancies and irregularities."

Rauscher said Carroll-Nester was an executive accountant and worked in human relations for the church. She has since been fired.

"When you put trust in someone, and there was confidence and trust in her . . . for all of us it's just a disappointment," Rauscher said.

The investigation is on-going and police believe the amount of money stolen and recovered will likely be higher when completed, police speculated Friday.

"It's a pretty big one; it will probably total $500,000 when it's all said and done," Griner said.

Carroll-Nester was booked on suspicion of fraudulent schemes, felony theft, and multiple counts of forgery, police said. Friday afternoon, she still was housed in Maricopa County Jail and is being held with a secure appearance bond of $12,000, according to court documents and jail information.

Carroll-Nester is scheduled to appear in Maricopa County Superior Court on Sept. 7 at 8:30 a.m. in Mesa, according to court documents.

Cornerstone, on Alma School Road just south of the Santan Freeway, is one of the largest churches in the Valley. It regularly draws from 4,500 to 6,500 worshippers each Sunday, Rauscher said. Off-duty Chandler police officers are hired by the church each Sunday to help direct traffic and ease backups on Alma School Road.

Ten years ago, Cornerstone started hosting services for just 80 members in borrowed elementary school space. This spring, it completed an expansion that made it the largest church in the city and propelled it to mega-church status.

"We were in the middle of a building campaign and things are always a stretch when you build and grow," Rauscher said, adding that the missing money could have eased growing pains.

Rauscher said the church will discuss what happened with members during services Sunday and answer any questions.

The case is the second financial scandal involving a Chandler church in the past year.

Ed Purvis, co-owner of Nakami Chi Group Ministries International, non-profit Christian investment company, faces 20 years in prison if convicted on four counts of harassing public officials and one count of bribing a Chandler police officer.

Purvis and his business partner, Gregg Wolfe, promised investors that their money would be used to fund Christian charities while generating 24 percent returns. Investors included a pastor, elders and congregation members at Chandler Christian Church - which is next door to Cornerstone on Alma School Road - as well as Vineyard Church in Avondale.