Detroit Priest Guilty of Stealing from Fund for Poor
By Oralandar Brand-Williams
Detroit – — The Rev. Timothy Kane, accused of defrauding a Catholic church charity out of thousands of dollars through an elaborate scheme using the poor, was found guilty of the charges by a Wayne County jury Tuesday. Kane, 57, was convicted on embezzlement, conspiracy and other related charges for embezzling about $131,000 from the Angel Fund through a "scam" using straw applicants to apply for $1,500 grants for the needy and then receiving kickbacks on some of the money paid out. He will be sentenced at 9 a.m. Dec. 12. The Angel Fund is supported by an anonymous donor family and operated by the Archdiocese of Detroit. Since 2005, it has provided more than $17 million in grants to needy individuals and families in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park, according to the archdiocese. The applicant usually received $300 and the second person in the alleged scheme, Kane's former co-defendant, Dorreca Brewer, a 34-year-old Jackson resident, received part of the remaining part of the grant. Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Patrick Colleta told jurors Tuesday that Brewer told the "straw" applicants that Kane would also receive a cut of the money along with a Michigan prison inmate with whom Kane was having a relationship. "He spent the (Angel Fund) money to enrich his boyfriend," Colleta said during his closing arguments. The prosecutor added Kane talked about the scheme during phone calls with the inmate. An investigation by the Michigan Department of Corrections led to a subsequent probe by the archdiocese that ended in charges against Kane and Brewer. Colleta said Kane spent his part of the money providing for the inmate's family. The former Detroit priest also paid rent for the mother of the inmate's child, the prosecutor told jurors Tuesday. About 131 Angel Fund grants are suspected to have been fraudulently obtained in the scheme from August 2008 to July 2012. Colleta told the jurors Kane confessed to the scheme after his arrest by police in February. "He admits his conduct is wrong in his confession," Colleta said. Kane's attorney, Steven Scharg, told jurors during his closing arguments his client was a priest who wanted to help the community and Brewer was the one behind and responsible for the "sham." Scharg added prosecutors have no solid evidence against Kane, pointing out Brewer did not testify against his client. "Where is Ms. Brewer?" Scharg said Tuesday. "She's not here. Where is the evidence Mr. Kane received any kickbacks whatsoever from this whole case." Scharg added: "Did they ever present evidence to you that any money went into his bank account?" The jury began deliberations in the case against Kane around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday. Brewer pleaded guilty in the case earlier this year. She is expected to be sentenced Thursday. Kane "ran the show" in the scheme, Colleta said Tuesday. "He came up with the bogus reasons for the Angel Fund requests," Colleta said. Kane is the former pastor associate pastor of St. Moses the Black Parish in Detroit, formerly Church of the Madonna and St Gregory the Great parishes. The case was tried before Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Morrow. Contact: bwilliams@detroitnews.com
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