Gambling addiction sometimes fuels church embezzlement cases

Published: 2004-01-16

MILWAUKEE (CNS) -- What drives a parish employee or volunteer to steal from the church? In embezzlement cases at two Milwaukee parishes, the reason was a gambling addiction. According to a criminal complaint filed against her in October, Rebecca Piekarski, bookkeeper at Gesu Parish in Milwaukee for eight years, allegedly made large withdrawals from an ATM machine at a bingo casino. Jane Ore, director of administrative services at SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Milwaukee, said the parish volunteer who stole an estimated $310,000 from that parish admitted to using the stolen money on gambling. The parish asked that the volunteer, who was sentenced to a year in jail and ordered to make restitution to the parish, not be named. Because of an upcoming court appearance, Piekarski said she could not comment on the embezzlement case at Gesu Church or her gambling addiction. She is charged with one count of theft and one count of fraud for allegedly embezzling more than $500,000 from church collections. Piekarski added that after the court case is resolved she would discuss the issue. "I have a lot to say about gambling," she told the Catholic Herald, Milwaukee archdiocesan newspaper.

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