Church Bookkeeper Steals $1 Million From New York Archdiocese
Prosecutors in New York are suing Anita Collins after the 67-year-old women embezzled more than $1 million from the Archdiocese of New York and then spent that money on lavish gifts for herself and loved ones.
According to Prosecutors Anita used the money she stole over a nine-year period to buy lavish items from the likes of Bloomingdale’s, Barney’s and Brooks Brothers.
Confronted at work last month the thief admitted her crimes after $10,000 went missing in December, however Assistant DA Amy Justiniano says she continued to lie about having not taken the other $1,063,000.
“She held herself out to be a religious woman going to church every day,” Justiniano said. “Yet, behind their backs she would lie and steal.”
Collins is no stranger to this type of theft, she pleaded guilty twice to larceny cases and had served probation. The archdiocese didn’t start doing background checks until 2003 which saved Collins from being discovered.
In order to embezzle the money Anita Collins wrote duplicate checks in small accounts and cashed them using fake names.
On Monday Anita entered no plea and is currently being held on $750,000 bail.
Do you think that Anita should be thrown in jail this time rather than being given probation?
