A Pennsylvania Hellenic language Russian Orthodox priest who suffers from a gambling addiction appeared inwards judicature this hebdomad for allegedly stealing more than $117K from his church.
Father George I Athanasiou, 37, was charged in connectedness with the embezzlement from camber accounts belonging to All Saints Hellenic language Greek Orthodox Church inwards Canonsburg, Pa. He’s facing 223 counts of theft next his Nov 29 arrest.
Between April 2022 and lastly month, Athanasiou allegedly improperly cashed numerous checks involving church funds, authorities said. He reportedly deposited the money into his possess answer for before withdrawing it via an ATM.
Mental Exam Ordered
During a tribunal coming into court on Monday, Athanasiou waved his right to a overture hearing. a adjudicate ordered him to undergo an exam to check into on his emotional health. The priest was released from custody after posting bond.
In addition, Athanasiou was suspended without compensate from his assistant priest’s station after the theft scheme was discovered, according to The National Herald, a Hellenic intelligence outlet.
He had a gambling problem,” St. Patrick Thomassey, Athanasiou’s attorney, told Pennsylvania TV send WPXI this week. “He alluded to that inward the statement he gave to police. And that’s non uncommon today.”
So far, it’s non been revealed where the priest was play or on what he was wagering.
Athanasiou plans to repay the church.
“People are upset, but a lot of the church building people are really supporting the father, and I’m gonna narrate you flop now, we’re gonna compensate plunk for all this money, every cent,” Thomassey told WPXI.
“Right now, we’re non trusted what the figure is. We live it’s high. We already feature a lot of money ready to do restoration inward this case,” Thomassey added.
Internal Inquiry
Athanasiou was arrested after an internal investigation “initiated past members of the parish leading when certain discrepancies regarding the parish’s stewardship emerged. Community leaders and so passed the selective information to local natural law enforcement, who took over the investigation, leading to Fr. George’s arrest,” according to a financial statement released by regional church officials, the Herald reported.
The Keystone State Attorney General’s Office has taken over the criminal prosecution of the outlaw case, according to PA TV send KDKA. That’s because of a possible contravene of interest. Some lawyers at the capital of the United States County District Attorney’s Office are members of the All Saints church.
In a disunite civic case, Athanasiou is the case of a suit from a PA landlord over a $3K dispute.
The senior non-Christian priest inwards explosive charge of All Saints, Dimitrios Kyritsis, who began at his brand after Athanasiou’s departure, said the parish apprehended the living received by regional church building officials.
Kyritsis had a 30-year life history in natural law enforcement before serving the parish. He was even an interim police force chief. He also worked as a disaster chaplain for International Greek Orthodox Christian Charities. He assisted inward the Harvest Music Festival mass shooting inward Las Vegas.
All Saints Grecian Eastern Orthodox Church is a parish of the Hellenic language Eastern Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh.
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