Due to stealing money from the church and using it for her satisfaction, the former secretary of an Alabama church has been given a jail sentence. For stealing roughly $90,000 from the church she was employed for, Carmen Ramer Davis, 59, was given an 18-month sentence in federal prison.
The Brooklyn Congregational Methodist Church in Coffee County closed down after having problems with money, which Davis had contributed to the bankruptcy the most. She pleaded guilty to eight counts of wire fraud in November 2022.
Former Secretary to Spend Time in Jail for Stealing in Church
According to the report in Fox News, in the court case, United States District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. was the one who presided over the case and sentenced Davis to prison for fraudulent use of the bank account of the Brooklyn Congregational Methodist Church.
In 2006, Davis was hired and given the position of secretary, which allowed her to have access to the church's bank account. The church didn't know that she obtained a debit card for the account and used it to make cash withdrawals and purchases for her use. She also made cheques or cash payments to herself without authorization.
Davis gambled with money from the church while visiting Mississippi and Alabama. Davis was discovered when a church official got a bank letter warning of insufficient funds. Following her prison sentence, the judge mandated that Davis complete a year of supervised release and pay the church $89,440 in restitution.
Another source, WSFA 12, also reported that between July 2008 and July 2019, Davis scammed the Brooklyn Congregational Methodist Church in Coffee County, according to justice documents. In 2006, Davis was chosen to serve as the church's secretary. As such, she could use church funds to pay for expenses.
According to United States Attorney Stewart, her offenses caused harm to the whole religious community, and the judge's sentence was meant to deter others from acting dishonestly in the future. Davis was sentenced to serve a year of supervised release after her jail term and pay restitution to the church for the number of her fraudulent actions as part of her punishment.
Church Stealing is Common but Hard to Spot
No matter the intentions, justifications, or assurances of restitution, using church finances for personal gain is theft. Church fraud, sadly, happens frequently and can occur in any church. According to an article in AG Financial, examples of embezzlement cases include a church treasurer who stole $850,000 over eight years, a church bookkeeper who stole a meager $3,000 and received an eight-year prison sentence, a church usher who stole several thousand dollars over a few years, and a bookkeeper who stole thousands by writing checks to a fictitious company.
Church thievery is generally difficult to spot since it takes place over a lengthy period of time and includes little amounts being stolen periodically. Many churches also don't have internal financial controls to guard against fraud. Fraud must be reported to insurance providers and local authorities to be prevented in the future. Church leaders must be watchful and take precautions to protect church funds.
Related Article:Pantano Baptist Church's Former Member Accused of Stealing Over $100,000 Fund
