Galway-born Priest Charged with Embezzling More Than ˆ47,000 from an Elderly Parishioner in Florida

By Angela Mullin
Irish Sun
December 15, 2016

https://www.thesun.ie/news/306397/galway-born-priest-charged-with-embezzling-more-than-e47000-from-an-elderly-parishioner-in-florida/

A Galway-born priest who had three residences – including a beach condo – has been charged with embezzling more than ˆ47,000 ($50,000) from an elderly parishioner in Florida.

Fr Nicholas King is charged with using a 79-year-old woman’s money to fund a lifestyle ‘beyond his means’, according to cops at Brevard County near Orlando, Florida.

Fr Nicholas King is charged with using a parishioner’s money to fund a lifestyle ‘beyond his means’

The Irish Examiner reports that the 73-year-old priest officially stood down as pastor of the parish he lead for more than 20 years a few days before being cuffed in September.

Donna Seyferth, spokeswoman for the Rockledge Police Department, said the priest had three residences, including a beach condominium, and lived far above his annual $28,000 salary.

He spent hundreds of dollars on restaurant meals, made a $9,000 down payment on a car, gave $6,000 to his sister, and spent $900 at a gourmet chocolate shop.

Fr King faces felony fraud and theft charges with claims he moved money to his own personal account from a trust account set up to help the parish.

The ex pastor of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Rockledge was arrested on charges of grand theft from the elderly woman in excess of $50,000 and organised fraud involving funds over $50,000. He was alleged to have taken $88,000 in total.

Fr Nicholas King has stood down as pastor of the parish

Orlando Bishop and Limerick native John Noonan said in a statement: “The diocese is co-operating with Rockledge Police Department and that Fr King has been removed from ministry pending the outcome of the investigation.”

The priest, who moved to Florida in the 1960s, was a public supporter of Francis Guinan, one of the two jailed Irish clerics accused of swindling their parish of hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund gambling trips and homes.

Guinan, from Offaly, spent over three years in jail after being found guilty by a jury of stealing some $100,000.