80-Year-Old Nun Gets 1 Year In Prison For Stealing $800k From The Church

An 80-year-old nun is now heading away to prison for one year after being caught stealing over $800k from her Catholic school to cover her gambling addiction.

Source: MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images / Getty

We love a good finesse story, especially with elements you just don’t see every day and today we have a good one for you. A retired California nun and elementary school principal is heading off to federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing over $800k from the school after 28 years of employment.

Margaret Kreuper, 80, pleaded guilty last June to wire fraud and money laundering after taking $835k from Torrance’s St. James Catholic School to reportedly cover her gambling addiction. She admitted to stealing the money to cover expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges related to gambling. She took the stand and professed she had sinned which seemed more of trying to use age and religion to get sympathy.

“I have sinned, I’ve broken the law and I have no excuses,” she said. “My actions were in violation of my vows, my commandments, the law and, above all, the sacred trust that so many had placed in me. I was wrong and I’m profoundly sorry for the pain and suffering I’ve caused so many people.”

It’s one thing to steal, but from the church and Catholic school you worked at for decades to cover your sinning? It doesn’t get more messy than that in the church gossip circle. Margaret got off easy with one year in prison, but having a 1-year sentence that late in life could be the biggest test thus far.