Church bookkeeper sentenced to prison after $875,000 embezzlement

A judge sentenced a Florida church worker to more than two years in prison for federal wire fraud after she embezzled just over $875,000 from the church, the office of U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger B. Handberg said Thursday. Heather Darrey pleaded guilty in June to abusing her power as the finance manager of a church identified by the Tampa Bay Times as Christ the King Catholic Church in Tampa, Fla. Darrey wrote fraudulent checks from the church payable to herself and her creditors, and falsified the church’s accounting data to cover her tracks, the attorney’s office said. Darrey spent most of the money on mortgage payments, car and boat loans, and credit card bills for clothing, restaurants, vacations, and concert tickets, the office added. 

How long was she embezzling? Court documents showed Darrey’s scheme ran from October 2023 through March 2024. Darrey admitted to the theft in late March when church leaders approached her about financial irregularities, according to Darrey’s plea agreement. The church’s initial financial audit after terminating Darrey showed about $775,000 in losses, which later rose to about $875,000. Darrey’s sentence included a repayment of the embezzled money. 

Why did she do it? Darrey’s attorney argued that the thefts were a reaction to psychological stress after learning her teenage daughter needed open heart surgery. Darrey does not excuse her behavior and is trying to understand why she did it in regular therapy sessions, according to the defense attorney’s sentencing memo. Darrey is a loving and supportive mother and wife, and feels the full weight of her behavior, the memo added. 

What has the church said? Christ the King’s Rev. Leonard Plazewski told the Tampa Bay Times he struggled with the feeling of betrayal and could not understand why Darrey did it. Many parishioners say it’s not the theft or the amount that bothers them, but who did it, Plazewski said, likening it to family stealing from family. However, Plazewski insisted Darrey would still be welcomed at the church.